Image: Pickets at WWL NHS this summer, where backdoor privatisation plans were halted. Credit: @Unite_NorthWest.
UPDATE 18.15pm 19/9/18: Just as this story was published, the main NHS regulator announced it was calling for a 'pause' on all new NHS Wholly Owned Subsidiary plans, pending the issuing of new guidance next month. Unite's Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe commented: “Unite the Union welcomes NHS Improvement's call to a halt the establishment of more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries. We hope that this instruction extends to NHS Foundation Trusts that plan to transfer staff into these companies in the next couple of weeks, such as East Kent and York, and others with board approval like Chesterfield. We hope NHS Improvement consults as many NHS stakeholders as possible including community groups, patient groups and trade unions regarding the future of wholly owned subsidiaries. We will be writing to the Chief Executive of NHS Improvement to express our concerns.”
