Cathy Warwick criticised the reforms at a
candlelight vigil held last night in opposition to the health bill.
Members of the RCM were joined by other health unions as about 250 people protested against the bill, which was later passed with a majority of 65.
Cathy told Midwives: ‘The RCM and our fellow unions are trying to make sure the members of parliament are very clear that we oppose what appears to be the creeping privatisation of the NHS that this bill will allow.’
She slammed the reforms shortly after a row broke out in prime minister’s questions when David Cameron claimed medical leaders were ‘supporting’ the plans to overhaul the NHS.
But Labour leader Ed Miliband said the RCM, the BMA and the RCGP had all been vocal in rejecting the bill over the past week.
A handful of unions have since joined the RCM in reiterating their ‘serious concerns’, including bureaucracy, the fragmentation of care and massive increased costs.
Clare Gerada, chairwoman of the RCGP, said: ‘We continue to have a number of concerns about the government's reforms, issues we believe may damage the NHS or limit the care we are able to provide for our patients.’
A DH spokesman claimed the reforms do have the backing of many health professionals.
‘The independent NHS Future Forum confirmed there is widespread support for the principles of our plans, which give freedom and control to doctors, nurses and front-line professionals,’ he said.
Now the bill has been passed by MPs, it will be debated by the House of Lords next month (October), when a raft of amendments are expected.
It will then be passed back to the House of Commons, where MPs will vote on the changes demanded in the Lords.
Health campaigner, Professor Wendy Savage, who was speaking at the vigil, said: ‘It’s a terrible blow to our democracy that we are having to rely upon the House of Lords to put things right that the Commons have allowed to go through.
‘We need to make sure we keep the battle up until the bill has completed its passage in the Lords and gets back to the Commons, where hopefully it will be defeated or amended so it is a shadow of its former self.’
