“Hillmorton Closure Must Not Be Exploited For Privatisation Agenda; Crude Cherry Picking”
“The temporary closure of Hillmorton Hospital for clinical grounds must not be exploited in order to slip in a
privatisation agenda,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.
Mr Powell was commenting on speculation that the temporary closure forced by the current industrial dispute might be
used to privatise some mental health services.
“To use the temporary closure for privatisation would be sneaky, underhand and unacceptable. It would undermine the
important objective of building up the capacity of the public health system to provide quality and accessible mental
health services.”
“Mental health services are most effectively provided in an integrated manner rather than siphoning off some less
onerous services. This fragmentation would reduced job satisfaction for psychiatrists and increase recruitment and
retention problems.”
“Using this industrial dispute to slip in a privatisation agenda in mental health would be one of the crudest forms of
cherry picking,” concluded Mr Powell.
Ian Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR