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Nurses pass 'no confidence' vote in Andrew Lansley

Nurses have passed a motion of no confidence in the health secretary.

Some 96% of 497 delegates at the Royal College of Nursing conference backed a motion questioning Andrew Lansley's handling of NHS reforms in England.

Mr Lansley will later meet a group of 50 nurses in Liverpool but will not address the whole conference, prompting some nurses to question his nerve.

But he said he would be listening to them on "how we can improve the bill", which Labour said should be "junked".

During the debate on the overhaul of the NHS, nurses said they were angry about the reforms and the way the government was running its new "listening exercise".

David Dawes, a nurse from Manchester, said the RCN had tried to engage with government in the past, adding he did not believe the it was interested in changing its plans so now was time "to oppose".

Zeba Arif, a mental health nurse from London, said: "Reform means making it better. Is this making it better? No it is not."

And Bethann Siviter, a nurse who now works in Birmingham after moving to England from the US, added: "If this goes forward the NHS is dying. I come from a country with private health care. Don't go there."

The motion of no confidence in Mr Lansley was backed by 478 delegates, with six opposing it and there were 13 abstentions - it is thought to be unprecedented.

But Mr Lansley said: "Nurses want further nurse involvement in decisions. So do I.

"I understand their concerns. We are listening to nurses and will make improvements."

He added: "There isn't an option to do nothing if we want to sustain the NHS for future generations."

Under the shake-up, GPs are to be given control of much of the NHS budget, while greater competition with the private sector will be encouraged.

But critics, including the Royal College of Nursing, have warned the changes could undermine the NHS.

After months of attacks, the government said last week it would run another consultation, even though the bill underpinning the changes has already started progressing through Parliament.

Wednesday marks the first significant step in that process - and saw Labour leader Ed Miliband make a speech about the NHS.

Mr Miliband warned the plans would put hospitals at risk and lead to staff losing the power to do what they believed was best for patients.

"The answer to a bad bill is not to slow it down, but to junk it," he added.

Mr Lansley responded saying: "Ed Miliband is being deliberately misleading. It is wholly inappropriate for him to use the NHS as a political football like this."

In the morning, Mr Lansley met voluntary sector chiefs in Downing Street to discuss how they can get involved in delivering services.

He was then due to travel to Liverpool to meet nurses. But instead of addressing the entire conference - as public health minister Anne Milton did on Tuesday - he will meet a group of 50 nurses representing all parts of the UK.

The decision to attend the smaller meeting has caused anger among delegates at the conference.

Julian Newell, an A&E nurse from Sheffield, said: "I think it's a shame Andrew Lansley does not have the guts to come up and face congress as a whole."

RCN general secretary Peter Carter also questioned the decision. "It's his judgment call, he feels it's better but he is going to get stick from congress. Congress is going to interpret it as him not having the courage to speak to them."

A Department of Health spokeswoman defended the decision. She said Ms Milton, as a former nurse, was the right person to address delegates, allowing the health secretary to come and "listen and reflect" rather than lecture.

She added: "Nurses are the backbone of our NHS. As a demonstration of our support, two government ministers are attending congress."

Story property of the BBC. For the full article including analysis and video, go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13063285