26.09.13
Labour’s first act in power would be repealing NHS reforms
Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has pledged to repeal the legislation behind the Government’s health reforms.
In his speech to the Labour Party annual conference yesterday, he said in “the first Queen's speech of the next Labour government we will repeal the Act”.
Repealing the Health & Social Care Act 2012 would allow a system based on ‘people before profits’, Burnham said, and create whole-person care by bringing together NHS hospitals, mental health services and social care. Twenty-five councils have already agreed to road-test this idea.
Additionally, Labour would introduce a single named contact to coordinate the care of elderly patients – something Jeremy Hunt announced earlier this year. Hunt said repealing the Act would cost the taxpayer £5.5bn a year, but Burnham claimed in his speech that one in seven GP commissioners had introduced new treatment restrictions as a consequence of the reforms.
Burnham said: “Thousands of older people denied cataract, hip and knee operations simply because of where they live – a postcode lottery running riot. And get ready for the next scandal. NHS hospitals, pushed by David Cameron to earn half their income from private patients, charging for beds left empty by these restrictions.
“Think about that – NHS hospitals, built with public money, charging people for treatments that used to be free and still free to people living elsewhere. NHS staff turned over to priority care of those who can pay or are in such pain they have to dig deep.
“Suffer or pay – the same old choice in a two-tier Tory NHS. We've got to wake people up to what is happening now. These are the first steps towards an American healthcare system, English hospitals now asking for credit cards before they give care.”
But NHS Clinical Commissioners (NHSCC) warned that attempting to reverse the legislation would result in more uncertainty and upheaval. Chair Dr Charles Alessi said:
“What those developing and planning the delivery of NHS services need is certainly and a period of time free from externally imposed disruption and centrally-driven reorganisation.”
And Dr Steve Kell, co-chair of the NHSCC Leadership Group, said: “Now is not the time to engender fear and stasis, now is rather the time for action.
“It is not possible to promise no top-down re-organisation while at the same time as talking about fundamental changes to how health services are commissioned and the route by which they are funded.
“We urge Mr Burnham work with us, strengthen what we have, and let us have the confidence to invest significant time and effort to develop the services which bring about the integrated care we all want and support.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]