Danny Alexander Thatcherite attitude condemned Sat, 23/08/2014 - 14:46 Alex Neil has today (Saturday) condemned the ‘Thatcherite attitude’ of Danny Alexander, after the Chief Secretary to the Treasury was reported to be set to ignore independent advice on NHS pay – with knock-on consequences for Scotland. Today’s Independent reports that a number of unions are set to ballot on strike action, and BMA chairman Dr Mark Porter has written to Danny Alexander warning him of “a very public dispute.” Danny Alexander has indicated that he will ignore the advice of NHS pay review bodies and block a pay rise for doctors and nurses in England – regardless of what they advise. Failure to award a pay rise in England means that there are no Barnett consequentials for Scotland – so the Scottish Government will once again have to meet its own cost from within existing resources. Unite the Union has also warned that impact of fragmentation of the NHS in England through privatisation will mean health staff may not be covered by agenda for change terms and conditions in the future. Unite observes that privatisation will leave ...most worse off. Driving down pay and conditions in England will again have a knock-on effect on Scotland’s budget. Commenting, Mr Neil said: “Earlier this year, the pay review bodies recommended a modest 1% baselined pay rise for NHS staff. “We are delivering this rise in full, but sadly the UK government reneged on this deal for NHS staff in England – and look set to do so again. “Danny Alexander’s Thatcherite attitude is not only an insult to NHS workers south of the border – it is starving Scotland’s NHS of cash. “As long as we are tied to the fixed budget of Westminster, our public services will pay the price for Tory/Lib Dem policies which the people of Scotland did not vote for. “This is one of the many reasons why we need to be in full control of our own vast resources. “As the referendum gets closer, more and more Scots are waking up to the opportunity we have with a Yes to protect the future of Scotland’s NHS – guaranteeing a service that is publicly-owned, clinically-driven and freely-delivered for all.”
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 15:53:56 +0000
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