Nurses pass 'no confidence' vote in Andrew Lansley

By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News

 

Nurses have passed a motion of no confidence in the health secretary.

 

Some 96% of 497 delegates at the Royal College of Nursing conference backed a motion questioning Andrew Lansley's handling of NHS reforms in England.

 

Mr Lansley will later meet a group of 50 nurses in Liverpool but will not address the whole conference, prompting some nurses to question his nerve.

 

But he said he would be listening to them on "how we can improve the bill", which Labour said should be "junked".

'Time to oppose'

 

During the debate on the overhaul of the NHS, nurses said they were angry about the reforms and the way the government was running its new "listening exercise".

 

David Dawes, a nurse from Manchester, said the RCN had tried to engage with government in the past, adding he did not believe the it was interested in changing its plans so now was time "to oppose".

 

Nurses, of course, cannot vote the health secretary out of office. But the backing of the no confidence motion in Andrew Lansley is hugely symbolic.

 

Even though only 500 of the Royal College of Nursing's 400,000 membership were there, it still demonstrates the challenge facing him personally and the government as a whole in getting NHS staff on board over its plans.

 

Nurses attending the Liverpool conference have been angry all week.

 

They feel Mr Lansley has snubbed them with his decision not to address the whole conference. Instead, he will meet 50 nurses away from the main hall.

 

But there has also been a barrage of complaints about the cuts they are seeing to services. And this is the crux of the problem.

 

The government's overhaul is happening at a time when the NHS is tightening its belt.

 

The two issues are, in many ways separate, but are becoming conflated. And that spells trouble.

 

Zeba Arif, a mental health nurse from London, said: "Reform means making it better. Is this making it better? No it is not."

 

And Bethann Siviter, a nurse who now works in Birmingham after moving to England from the US, added: "If this goes forward the NHS is dying. I come from a country with private health care. Don't go there."

 

The motion of no confidence in Mr Lansley was backed by 478 delegates, with six opposing it and there were 13 abstentions - it is thought to be unprecedented.

 

But Mr Lansley said: "Nurses want further nurse involvement in decisions. So do I.

 

"I understand their concerns. We are listening to nurses and will make improvements."

 

He added: "There isn't an option to do nothing if we want to sustain the NHS for future generations."

 

Under the shake-up, GPs are to be given control of much of the NHS budget, while greater competition with the private sector will be encouraged.

 

But critics, including the Royal College of Nursing, have warned the changes could undermine the NHS

 

I think it's a shame Andrew Lansley does not have the guts to come up and face congress as a whole”

 

After months of attacks, the government said last week it would run another consultation, even though the bill underpinning the changes has already started progressing through Parliament.

 

Wednesday marks the first significant step in that process - and saw Labour leader Ed Miliband make a speech about the NHS.

 

Mr Miliband warned the plans would put hospitals at risk and lead to staff losing the power to do what they believed was best for patients.

 

"The answer to a bad bill is not to slow it down, but to junk it," he added.

 

Mr Lansley responded saying: "Ed Miliband is being deliberately misleading. It is wholly inappropriate for him to use the NHS as a political football like this."

 

In the morning, Mr Lansley met voluntary sector chiefs in Downing Street to discuss how they can get involved in delivering services.

 

He was then due to travel to Liverpool to meet nurses. But instead of addressing the entire conference - as public health minister Anne Milton did on Tuesday - he will meet a group of 50 nurses representing all parts of the UK.

 

Andrew Lansley Mr Lansley is said to be there to "listen and reflect" rather than lecture

 

The decision to attend the smaller meeting has caused anger among delegates at the conference.

 

Julian Newell, an A&E nurse from Sheffield, said: "I think it's a shame Andrew Lansley does not have the guts to come up and face congress as a whole."

 

RCN general secretary Peter Carter also questioned the decision. "It's his judgment call, he feels it's better but he is going to get stick from congress. Congress is going to interpret it as him not having the courage to speak to them."

 

A Department of Health spokeswoman defended the decision. She said Ms Milton, as a former nurse, was the right person to address delegates, allowing the health secretary to come and "listen and reflect" rather than lecture.

 

She added: "Nurses are the backbone of our NHS. As a demonstration of our support, two government ministers are attending congress."

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The significance of this really can't be over-stressed.. The Royal College of Nursing is not exactly known for its radicalism, but even they are now stirred into action against this completely useless, bankrupt government...

 

And, note that Lansley didn't even bother to address the whole conference.. He bottled it, like the gutless little sh"t that he is....

Call me picky but it should be 96%, not 98% :P

Call me picky but it should be 96%, not 98% :P

 

So, you don't object to me calling Lansley a "gutless little sh"t" then...... :lol:

 

So, you don't object to me calling Lansley a "gutless little sh"t" then...... :lol:

Not at all :lol: