Government-supported privatisation initiatives are the ‘Trojan Horse' that could severely undermine the NHS, Unite, the largest union in the country, has said.
Unite was backing motions at the Trade Unions Congress calling for an end to the privatisation of the NHS and ensuring that services remain within the NHS and delivered by NHS staff.
Unite Assistant General Secretary for the Public Sector, Gail Cartmail said the trade union movement needs to send out the ‘strongest possible message' that privatisation of the NHS is completely unacceptable.
Ms Cartmail said: "It is clear that the not-so-subtle encouragement given by the government for the various privatisation initiatives, such as the Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) and the misguided experiment with social enterprises, are the Trojan Horse that could lead to the fragmentation of the NHS.
"Conservatives, such as MEP Daniel Hannan; right-wing media pundits; and Barak Obama-baiting American healthcare insurance companies all view the current creeping privatisation of the NHS as a golden opportunity to maximise profits for shareholders.
"To create these so-called market mechanisms - that the British people have repeatedly said in opinion polls they don't want - will cost an estimated £20 billion. This is money better spent on frontline services - more health visitors, more hip replacement operations, and more day surgery.
"As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown did a wonderful thing when he put 1p on National Insurance to pay for investment in the people's NHS. Now as Prime Minister he can build on this by calling ‘time' on the healthcare companies that seek to make a handsome profit from the sick, the elderly, and the vulnerable."
Last month, Unite presented a letter signed by 3,000 NHS members calling on Health Secretary, Andy Burnham to halt the privatisation of the health service.
