PFI hospitals slammed by union report

PFI hospitals are poorly designed and provide low-levels of patient care, according to a damning study released by Unison today (Thursday).

The union's report, which includes anecdotal evidence by public sector workers involved in PFI schemes, paints a grey picture on the use of privately-financed contracts.

Staff criticisms include a "poor quality" of building materials, "cheap and nasty designs" and a total lack of capacity.

Hospitals constructed under PFI schemes since 2000 are already set to build further extensions as inadequate original layouts are adding to problems such as bed shortages, the report claims.

In the document's conclusions, Unison repeated its demand made at Labour's party conference last year for an independent review into all PFI projects.

Ahead of the union's conference in Harrogate next week, Unison general secretary Dave Prentis accused ministers of ignoring a rising problem.

"The report is a damning indictment of the whole PFI process," he said. "It is tragic that such a large and welcomed hospital investment programme should have produced such universally poor results.

"The government is sticking its heads in the sand about the growing financial costs of PFI. But if it won't listen to us when we say PFI is failing miserably, perhaps it will listen to the staff on the frontline."