A DORSET union leader has called on the government to listen to people who work in the NHS before making changes to its controversial health and social care bill.

The bill, which was due to hand GPs responsibility for commissioning NHS services by 2013, is being delayed after the health select committee said nurses, consultants, public health experts and patients should be involved.

Coalition leaders will also try to reassure voters in next month’s local council elections that they are not trying to privatise the NHS through the back door.

Mike Cracknell, Dorset organiser for Unison, representing many nurses and other NHS workers, called the proposals “ill-conceived and rushed through without proper consideration.”

He said: “One of our biggest concerns in the Tory election pledge was that there would be no change in the NHS. What was needed was a period of stability.

“The social health care bill is massively unpopular. Private companies will cherry pick the most profitable services.

“The thing that’s sadly lacking is talking to the local experts, the people who work in the NHS. What the government should be doing is listening to the views of the public they are supposed to be serving.”

Dr Lionel Cartwright, one of the transition leaders for the Bournemouth and Poole GP consortium, said: “I am enthusiastic about the prospect of community-led commissioning and I think GPs have an important role to contribute to that.

“The timescale of the original plans, while challenging, is achievable but it is entirely appropriate that thought is given to the detail of the plans.

“And while I would be disheartened if the proposals were substantially reformed, I can see it is appropriate for the government to look at what they want.”

But Dr Nigel Watson, chief executive of Wessex Local Medical Committee and chairman of the British Medical Association’s commissioning committee, said the bill could not bring about the change needed to improve the NHS.

“They are reintroducing the bureaucracy we are trying to get rid of. I ‘d like us to be able to sit down with the government and find a way forward,” said the New Forest GP. “I think it is about taking the current proposals forward and looking at the bits which concern the profession and patients. We need to develop a more efficient health service for the future. A lot more work needs to be done.”