Commenting on the health secretary’s speech to the Conservative Party Conference today (Tuesday) in which he announced plans that could prevent trans women from using female-only wards, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:
“This is deflection politics at its very worst.
“The NHS is having to deal with countless challenges, all of which are of great public concern.
“Endlessly-growing waiting lists, lengthening ambulance delays, worsening industrial relations and a social care system so hopelessly adrift it risks bringing the NHS down with it.
“This is what should be keeping the health secretary awake at night. These are the problems the government could and should be acting on. Not trying to bar trans women from female-only wards.
“Patients and their families will see straight through this nonsense. They know what the government should be doing. That’s tackling waits and delays, ending the strikes and dealing with the crisis in social care.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
The article Steve Barclay’s conference speech is ‘deflection politics at its very worst’ first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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