BOLTON's biggest health union has attacked plans to throw the future plans of services for elderly mentally ill into the public arena.

In a no-holds-barred letter to health chief Mike Ruane, UNISON expresses concern about the health authority's plans to seek a "preferred provider" for the services.

Andy Gill, Regional Officer for the union, says UNISON believes that the political imperative is to off-load care into "the hands of the privateers.."

As already reported, Wigan and Bolton Health Authority has embarked on a process to decide on the future shape of services for elderly mentally ill.

The authority has invited providers of services for this group to set out how they can best provide the services the health authority requires.

Several options have already been suggested but the health authority has stated several times it is approaching the issue with an open mind.

This, however, has failed to convince UNISON and, following hard on the heels of Bolton Council which has already condemned the health authority's plans as "privatisation" of services, UNISON has added the weight of its own concerns.

If the health authority comes down on the side of a private finance initiative UNISON believes the health authority will encounter very real problems.

"Major companies are withdrawing from deals and are reluctant to get involved and very costly developments are not attracting private finance. UNISON believes that before long PFI will be dead in the water," says Andy.

Similar concerns are expressed about the possibility of looking towards the private/voluntary sector.

"No evidence exists to give confidence that the non public sector providers have the capacity, let alone the desire, to take on this provision.

"Even if they could or would provide a service, you surely can not ignore the fact that many long term residents in hospital are there because the private sector could not or would not cope with them.

"UNISON believes that people over 75 with enduring mental health problems deserve the best. Short term expedients will not solve the long term problems created by under resourcing," he added.

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