Is social enterprise the new battering ram to public organisations?

By PRSD, on Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Here at the PRSD we’ve been busy scratching our collective head over the relationship between social enterprises and public organisations in the new Big Society, and to top it all we’re getting reports that NHS professionals in Somerset feel they are being strong-armed into leaving the public sector to work for a private sector ‘social enterprise’ employer.

Two thousand five hunderd of Somerset’s health visitors, school nurses, local hospital and other workers across Somerset Community Health Services have launched a campaign to persuade the members of the county’s NHS Primary Care Trust to vote to stay within the NHS.

One health visitor said: “We are being strong-armed and railroaded. No-one I know wants to be transferred to a private Social Enterprise employer. We love the NHS and we want to remain a part of it. We are being told that this must be sorted by the end of September and there is nothing we can do about it.”

A ‘consultation’ with both staff and members of the public has been rushed through during the peak holiday period, and the PCT is insisting that the final decision must be made at their meeting of Wednesday, September 15.

Staff are asking for more time for a proper consultation, involving staff and public, which will end with the final decision being made by a democratic staff ballot.

A staff petition is being circulated, which states: “We, the undersigned, are extremely proud to work for the NHS in Somerset. We cherish our reputation as having one of the top Primary Care Trusts in the country, and of delivering high-quality services to our local population.

“We want to continue to work with you to transform our local health service from ‘good’ to ‘great’.

“We are proud to work for the best ‘not-for-profit’ organisation, based in the heart of our local community. That organisation is called the NHS and we want to stay in it!”

(image: Big Society Wordle on Evan’s Finch’s blog)