UNISON response to CPPR health spending report

UNISON today warned that a report on health expenditure in Scotland makes crude comparisons to criticise so-called productivity in Scotland and confuses health improvement with spending on the NHS.


The public services union also pointed out that the report is produced in association with KPMG and that the report looks like a sales pitch for their services.**

Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:

“The fact is that improving public health requires a whole range of action and involves spending from other areas including income support, housing, social work, early years etc.

“This kind of ill-informed report does not properly respond to the real health issues affecting Scotland and should not be used to justify slashing NHS spending.

“If you are looking at ‘productivity’ you can’t use crude figures, but need to look at patient outcomes in detail.

“The report’s authors admit that it isn’t possible to make like for like productivity comparisons with England and they have highlighted the major flaws in the earlier Nuffield Trust report.”

John Gallacher, Secretary to UNISON’s Health Committee, added:

“We reject the report’s recommendation for the creation of a health regulator.

“Robust financial performance measures are applied in NHS Scotland, including direct accountability of Chief Executives and Board Chairs to the Minister – via public meetings. NHS Scotland has been successful in contributing to Scottish Government efficiency targets.”



ENDS


Notes For Editors:

1. UNISON’s response to the earlier, much-criticised Nuffield Trust report ‘Comparing NHS performance in the UK’ is at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2010/janfeb/2001.htm



2. John Gallacher, Secretary to UNISON’s Health Committee, also commented on the Nuffield report at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/healthcare/nuffieldcomment20100121.html

 
The CPPR Report is at www.cppr.ac.uk/media/media_151602_en.pdf
 
**In it, KPMG states: "KPMG is at the forefront of change in healthcare. We are market leading providers of advice and implementation skills on efficiency and performance improvement. We are well placed to help the NHS and the wider public sector meet the challenges ahead."



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