Con Dem plans to replace NHS Direct in total disarray

Back in March UNISON warned about the fragmentation of NHS Direct and stated 'real concerns over the loss of expertise and the inability of the new 111 to provide national resilience'. The union's warning has been vindicated with a report in today's FT that private contractors (including Capita, Care UK and Serco) are boycotting the tender process because 'the plans are unworkable'. The BMA has condemned developments saying 'a potentially dangerous version of NHS 111 is set to burst forth upon an unsuspecting public from April':
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/31bb4ec8-a7e9-11e1-b8a9-00144feabdc0.html
http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2653