RCN response to amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill

Published: 02 February 2012

The Royal College of Nursing today responded to the amendments laid down in the Health and Social Care Bill. RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said:

“While we welcome the Government’s decision to look again at aspects of the bill, these amendments are merely tinkering around the edges. They do not go anywhere near far enough and fail to resolve the fundamental concerns that the RCN has about the Health and Social Care Bill. We still feel the reforms are creating such turmoil that they must be stopped.

“In particular, the amendments do not fully address the key areas of competition, nurse involvement, the private income cap and health inequalities. The bill continues to damage the NHS as we know it and combined with the need to save £20 billion in England by 2014, we fear that the health service is facing an extremely difficult future.”

Notes for Editors
 
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Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.