The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has welcomed the Labour party’s commitment to improving healthcare services in the UK.
At the State Opening of Parliament, the King set out the new Government’s pledge to address long standing issues in the NHS including employee rights and pay, mental health services and NHS waiting lists.
Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN general secretary and chief executive said: ‘Nursing staff are expecting a period of renewal for our health and care services and a reset with government – today’s policy programme is a move towards delivering that. We particularly welcome the new government’s commitment to repealing anti-trade union legislation, which silences NHS and care workers from speaking up for themselves and their patients.
‘The New Deal for Working People and the potential for a historic fair pay agreement in social care can help begin the journey to pay parity with NHS colleagues. The Government must honour its pledge to launch an investigation into the exploitation of migrant care workers across the sector, which we will support.’
- RCN calls for end to risky recruitment practices
- Health leaders react to general election announcement
- Labour promises £1.4 billion to cut NHS waiting list in five years
In his speech, the King said that the Government would work towards reducing NHS waiting times and improve mental health provision for young people. ‘It will ensure mental health is given the same attention and focus as physical health. My ministers will legislate to modernise the Mental Health Act so it is fit for the twenty first century.’
The RCN said the Government is ‘right to focus on our ailing NHS but measures to increase recruitment into nursing, that are not legislative and not present today, should follow soon. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan is off target, and it needs fresh political energy and investment.’
Professor Ranger said that while reforms to the Mental Health Act ‘could improve care for vulnerable people, raising the focus given to mental health and giving patients more of a say in their treatment,’ the government must invest in mental health nursing to ‘boost workforce numbers and transform outcomes’.
Leading health think tank, the Kings's Fund, has also welcomed the new Government’s commitments to the health and care workforce.
Sarah Woolnough, its chief executive said that the planned Employment Rights Bill aims to increase adult social care wages through nationally set ‘fair pay’ terms and conditions. ‘There are approximately 152,000 vacancies in the social care sector and pay is undoubtedly a big factor in care providers’ ability to recruit and retain staff. The government’s plan to increase adult social care pay is good news for care workers, and we hope it will come with a commensurate rise in local government budgets to avoid the pay boost being funded by cuts elsewhere.’
She added that ‘fundamental reform and cross government action’ will be needed to achieve Labour’s aim of improving the nation’s health and reducing gaps between the richest and poorest regions in England.’