27.02.12
Further amendments for Health and Social Care Bill
Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords are launching a new attempt to rewrite the Government’s reforms for the NHS.
Tim Farron MP, the party’s president, has urged that all new elements of competition within the NHS should be stripped out of the legislation.
The peers – with at least the tacit backing of the party leadership, it has been reported – have drawn up amendments to scrap plans to allow the Competition Commission to review the development of competition in the NHS. They also call for a requirement for foundation trusts to acquire permission from their governors before carrying out extra private work.
This new move follows high profile opposition to the Health and Social Care Bill from organisations and medical professionals including the Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Nursing, British Medical Association, and most recently, Lord Crisp, a former NHS chief executive who oversaw many of the Blair era reforms.
A Department of Health spokesperson said: “Our plans will harness the expertise of local doctors and nurses, who know better than anyone what their patients need.
“The proposals promote health in partnership between the NHS and local communities and put local authorities in the driving seat alongside clinicians for improving the health of their communities.
“Improving integration between all health and care services is a crucial part of modernising the NHS.”
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