Doctors’ representatives are questioning the usefulness of the government’s ‘listening exercise’ if it is not prepared to reconsider the introduction of competition into healthcare delivery.
The government called for a two-month pause in the progress of the Health and Social Care Bill to consult more widely and address mounting opposition to the proposed legislation. David Cameron and Nick Clegg have also stepped in to promote the changes - which include creating GP commissioning consortia and a market for healthcare delivery - to bolster the health secretary’s flagging efforts.
The government has also launched a public information campaign, which includes public information leaflets, events and a website for the public to ‘have their say’, which extols the virtues of competition between healthcare providers, including private companies.
Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of BMA council, welcomed government’s commitment to listening but questioned how seriously it was taking it.
He said: “While we share the objectives of improving services for patients and empowering staff, we believe the Bill as it is currently written is taking the NHS in England in the wrong direction. We have particular concerns about the emphasis on a statutory duty to promote competition in the NHS - with the accompanying risk of fragmentation of care, the proposed new model for the delivery of education and training, and the detail of how commissioning will work.”
There were 6,000 responses to the initial consultation on the Liberating the NHS white paper but the government made very few changes to its plans.
The former president of the Royal College of GPs, Prof Steve Field, has been appointed by the government to head up the consultation exercise, which includes the creation of a Future Forum providing a “channel for the thoughts and opinions of patients and staff on the ground”.
He said: “Listening to people on the ground is vital, and I see this as a real chance for people to have their say in shaping the future of the NHS.”
The engagement exercise will focus on the role of choice and competition for improving quality; how to ensure public accountability and patient involvement in the new system; how new arrangements for education and training can support the modernisation process; and how advice from across a range of healthcare professions can improve patient care.
Read a related blog.
Read the government’s information leaflet.
Tags: Health policy
So - a top GP (although most GPs I talk to would question that description) has been appointed to respond to the predominantly negative reaction to the idea of GPs commissioning healthcare?
Hmmmmm…………………