Associations and unions representing nurses and midwives have joined other industry bodies to oppose government’s plan to change NHS in England.

The Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives had already expressed concerns over the proposed changes and had told the ministers that they are willing to work with the to find suitable solutions. However, now the body has said that the bill proposing changes should be scrapped.

The government has said that the bill will empower front-line staff to take charge of improving care. The college follows the British Medical Association, which took a similar course of action. The move by the college is similar to Unison, which represents a host of administration and support staff in the UK.

The bill is languishing in various levels of parliamentary approval process. GPs will be made in charge of much of the NHS budget under the new plans and the health the services will be opened to new competition from the private and voluntary sector.

Meanwhile, the members of the British Medical Association (BMA) voted overwhelmingly against the government’s plans in a poll organised by the association to take a decision on the proposed changes. The likely industrial action will be the first in about four decades.