Eric,
The doctors and the BMA do not have a good record on reforming the health service. The BMA has opposed every NHS reform. Indeed, in a vote held in February 1948, months before the NHS was due to come into effect, 40,000 members of the BMA voted against the NHS, with fewer than 5,000 expressing support.
http://www.oup.com/oxforddnb/info/freeodnb/magazine/health/
I was struck by Elaine Murphy's (Baroness Muphy, a crossbench peer) speech in the recent Lords debate. Murphy is one of those rare creatures an experienced doctor and administrator. Maybe we should listen to her and not the wreckers who are playing politics and do not have a viable alternative. She said:
"Seldom have so many health policy folk fought so many pre-Bill skirmishes over what in the end has proved to be rather modest changes intended to preserve and improve the NHS based on the principles of the NHS constitution, and rarely have I received so much misinformed lobbying about a Bill. I hear that the Bill heralds the end of the NHS as we know it; I read that armies of evil capitalists from the United States and the Middle East are geared up to zoom into the UK like the hordes of Genghis Khan to hoover up our favourite hospitals and services. It is twaddle. In fact, this Bill contains no privatisation at all, it does not transfer any assets to the independent sector and, if we build on the contribution of the independent sector of 1 to 2 per cent per annum, we shall be doing quite well. We have been building on the expansion of existing policies that have been in place and developing slowly over the past 20 years and introducing a new level playing field for providers from all sectors.
As another noble Lord said, this is a vast improvement on favouring the independent sector treatment centres. I quite understand why that had to be done in the early days, but this puts everybody on a favourable, equal footing. It will sharpen NHS commissioners to get the quality of care improved and, crucially, will improve productivity, which has fallen quite catastrophically as investment has risen in the past decade. This Bill improves the contribution of clinicians to the planning and management of services and shifts a hospital system chained to central diktat towards a regulated emancipation to manage their own affairs. In my view, the most important aspect of this Bill is the introduction of the independent regulatory framework for providers, with the tools to promote a sharpening of competition and co-operation that will promote the kind of integrated care across primary community and specialist services that we all want.
Those of us who were at the meeting last night heard Sir David Nicholson repeat what the NHS Confederation has constantly stressed: that any delay will be profoundly depressing to the service, which now wants a clear steer and direction of travel. We have had two years of delay already. Almost all the features of this Bill are familiar to us: clinical commissioning; foundation trusts; a regulatory system; competition and collaboration between qualified providers; and patient choice. They have all gone before, so the new Bill builds on what has been learnt, especially by ensuring that competition is based on quality not price. There seems to be a widespread misunderstanding that we are basing these new proposals around price. That is absolutely not the case, and I would not support this Bill if it did.
Some people talk nostalgically about the demise of PCTs and SHAs, but the demise is in an orderly fashion, and as a former chair of a strategic health authority, I can only say “Hurrah”. In fact, clinical commissioning groups are what primary care trusts were supposed to be in the first place. For those who can recall primary care groups, those were also what clinical commissioning groups were meant to be. The difference is that we have a national framework to support and empower them that will not be diverted into the provider system."
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| Topic | Date Posted | Posted By |
| Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 11/04/11 12:16:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 13/04/11 08:49:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 16/04/11 23:16:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 16/04/11 23:17:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 19/04/11 11:50:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 10:05:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 10:31:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 10:58:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 11:13:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 11:38:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 12:00:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 12:09:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 12:08:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 12:23:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 13:33:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 13:59:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 20/04/11 14:14:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 21/04/11 09:45:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 21/04/11 15:00:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 21/04/11 17:27:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 21/04/11 17:49:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 23/04/11 21:50:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 24/04/11 10:15:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 24/04/11 12:55:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 24/04/11 10:13:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 24/04/11 20:32:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 25/04/11 09:20:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 25/04/11 09:36:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 25/04/11 10:54:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 26/04/11 00:20:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 01/05/11 10:00:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 01/05/11 10:44:00 | Allison Franklin |
| Re:Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 09/05/11 11:39:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 12/05/11 08:00:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 12/05/11 23:49:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 17/05/11 09:45:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 18/05/11 19:34:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 19/05/11 23:42:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 29/05/11 11:54:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 01/06/11 14:21:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Monitor's new year-on-year cuts for Trusts | 01/06/11 16:02:00 | George Knox |
| Private companies and the NHS | 03/06/11 19:51:00 | George Knox |
| Re:Private companies and the NHS | 04/06/11 11:01:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Private companies and the NHS | 09/06/11 23:48:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Private companies and the NHS | 10/06/11 09:45:00 | Ed Yelland |
| Re:Re:Private companies and the NHS | 10/06/11 11:01:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Council care homes less efficient -Yelland | 10/06/11 19:21:00 | Allison Franklin |
| Re:Council care homes less efficient -Yelland | 10/06/11 21:24:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 10/06/11 23:53:00 | Nigel Brooks |
| Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 11/06/11 11:25:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 13/06/11 09:37:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 15/06/11 07:28:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 18/06/11 12:08:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 18/06/11 15:30:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 09/07/11 15:38:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 18/07/11 19:50:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 22/07/11 08:06:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 01/08/11 12:30:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 05/08/11 08:35:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 26/08/11 23:23:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 02/09/11 08:21:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 02/09/11 08:50:00 | Phil Taylor |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 02/09/11 08:58:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 02/09/11 09:23:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Southern Cross and the NHS in Ealing | 02/09/11 09:59:00 | Tony Wood |
| 38degrees is a Social Democratic campaigning organisation | 02/09/11 10:17:00 | Phil Taylor |
| Re:38degrees is a Social Democratic campaigning organisation | 02/09/11 10:26:00 | Tony Wood |
| Re:Re:38degrees is a Social Democratic campaigning organisation | 02/09/11 10:52:00 | Tony Wood |
| Re:Re:Re:38degrees is a Social Democratic campaigning organisation | 02/09/11 11:35:00 | Phil Taylor |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:38degrees is a Social Democratic campaigning organisation | 02/09/11 12:08:00 | Tony Wood |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:38degrees is a Social Democratic campaigning organisation | 02/09/11 14:27:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Polly Toynbee article on NHS Bill from Guardian 2.9.11 | 02/09/11 20:02:00 | Allison Franklin |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:38degrees is a Social Democratic campaigning organisation | 03/09/11 12:53:00 | Tony Wood |
| Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 02/09/11 22:12:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Stop the Killing of Our Free Public Health Service | 03/09/11 09:57:00 | Arthur Breens |
| The Observer, 4.9.11 - Shirley Williams last attempt at getting our attention | 04/09/11 07:45:00 | Allison Franklin |
| Shirley Williams article, The Observer, 4.9.11 | 04/09/11 07:59:00 | Allison Franklin |
| Re:Shirley Williams article, The Observer, 4.9.11 | 06/09/11 22:52:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Shirley Williams article, The Observer, 4.9.11 | 06/09/11 23:03:00 | Peter Chadburn |
| Re:Re:Re:Shirley Williams article, The Observer, 4.9.11 | 07/09/11 12:16:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Shirley Williams article, The Observer, 4.9.11 | 25/10/11 15:28:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| BMA have opposed every NHS reform | 25/10/11 19:30:00 | Phil Taylor |
| Re:BMA have opposed every NHS reform | 26/10/11 00:29:00 | Arthur Breens |
| Re:Re:BMA have opposed every NHS reform | 26/10/11 07:20:00 | Phil Taylor |
| Re:BMA have opposed every NHS reform | 26/10/11 00:31:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:BMA have opposed every NHS reform | 26/10/11 08:00:00 | Allison Franklin |
| Re:Re:Re:BMA have opposed every NHS reform | 26/10/11 08:30:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Re:BMA have opposed every NHS reform | 26/10/11 12:47:00 | Phil Taylor |
| Jenny Tonge ashamed of the Lib Dems | 26/10/11 19:31:00 | Allison Franklin |
| Re:Jenny Tonge ashamed of the Lib Dems | 26/10/11 19:54:00 | Eric Alan Leach |
| Re:Re:Jenny Tonge ashamed of the Lib Dems | 27/10/11 08:12:00 | Arthur Breens |