RCN urges disclosure of bill risks

Published: 21 February 2012

The Royal College of Nursing has joined other health unions in calling on the Government to disclose the risks associated with the Health and Social Care Bill, in line with a request from the Information Commissioner.

In a joint briefing to parliamentarians ahead of tomorrow’s Commons debate on the health bill risk register, the RCN, along with the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Midwives and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, says: “We believe that the risk register should be disclosed immediately as a necessary aid for fully informed debate on the bill.”

The Information Commissioner ruled more than three months ago that the risk register should be released. The joint briefings says: “We are not persuaded that any of the reasons given by the Government during the Lords’ deliberations on the bill are adequate reasons to refuse disclosure of the risk register on an issue of such public importance.”

The briefing concludes: “We urge the Government to reconsider its position, and publish the full register now.”

Read the Commons Debate on the Risk Register Health and Social Care Bill 22 February 2012 briefing (PDF120KB) [see how to access PDF files].