NHS reforms: Government to listen to workers’ concerns
David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Andrew Lansley are to answer questions on the controversial NHS reforms amid mounting criticism over the plans.
The “listening exercise” aims to allay medical workers’ concerns about plans to hand 60 per cent of the NHS budget to GP-led consortiums.
Mr Clegg said the two-month exercise could lead to “substantive” changes to the Health Bill.
Critics fear a greater role for the private sector will create more competition and could lead to the closure of some NHS units and the fragmentation of services.
Defending reforms
The Deputy Prime Minister said GPs will not have to take full control of commissioning by a 2013 deadline, and will be supported beyond that if they were not ready.
We want to be very, very clear – we’re not going to allow cherry-picking. We’re certainly not going to allow vital parts of the NHS, like A&E, to be suddenly open to competition. Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister
“The NHS is not the Government’s property. We want people to feel comfortable with the changes, which will strengthen, and not weaken, the NHS,” Mr Clegg said.
He rejected the idea that more competition would reduce the quality of services.
“There isn’t going to be a bargain-basement rush to the bottom, because there isn’t going to be competition based on price.
“We want to be very, very clear – we’re not going to allow cherry-picking.
“We’re certainly not going to allow vital parts of the NHS, like A&E, to be suddenly open to competition.”
Gary Gibbon blog: The Three Amigos: listening to worries on NHS reform
Major rethink needed
The cross-party Commons Health Committee urged a rethink of the proposals, with former Tory health secretary and committee chairman Stephen Dorrell saying it was not a case of merely “minor tweaking” the Bill.
The committee stressed that GPs should not be solely in charge of commissioning services for patients. Instead it pressed the case for nurses and social care workers to play a bigger part in deciding how services should be implemented.
‘PR stunt’
Labour leader Ed Miliband has criticised the reforms as “extremely dangerous”, while Shadow Health Secretary John Healey branded them an “expensive PR stunt.”
Following days of confusion and contradictory briefing, David Cameron should today make it clear if he is willing to fundamentally re-write his dangerous NHS plans. John Healey, Shadow Health Secretary
“Following days of confusion and contradictory briefing, David Cameron should today make it clear if he is willing to fundamentally re-write his dangerous NHS plans,” Mr Healey said.
“In the past nine months the Tory-led Government has failed to listen, ignoring 6,000 consultation responses and rejecting over 100 Labour amendments to the Bill. This exercise has the hallmarks of an expensive PR stunt.”