Labour

Government told: drop the Health Bill and save over £1bn for the NHS in 2013

Labour repeats offer to work with the Government on GP-led commissioning

The editors of three respected health publications - the Health Service Journal, British Medical Journal and the Nursing Times - have issued a scathing critique of the Government's handling of its NHS reorganisation.

In an unusual move reflecting the growing crisis of confidence amongst health professionals about the Health Bill, a joint editorial labels the Government's plans an "old fashioned top down reorganisation", the aims of which could have been achieved without the Health and Social Care Bill.

Separately, health policy expert Professor Kieran Walshe today reveals how dropping the Health and Social Care Bill would end uncertainty in the NHS, save over £1 billion and allow the health service to focus on meeting the financial challenge.

Professor Walshe and the editors of three leading health publications will today also tell the Government that the Health Secretary's plans have caused overwhelming distress to the NHS and created a lack of confidence amongst health professionals

Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, said:

“The chorus of protest against David Cameron and Andrew Lansley's ill-conceived plans for the NHS grows louder by the day, uniting voices across the health world.

“This is a powerful and scathing critique of the Government's handling of its NHS re-organisation from three of the most respected voices in healthcare.

“It reflects the strength of feeling in the health professions and echoes the widely-held that this Bill is unnecessary and a distraction from the financial challenge facing the NHS.

“For our part, we hear what is being said about building political consensus. That's why we repeat our offer today to work with the Government on introducing GP-led commissioning on condition that it drops this unnecessary Bill.

“We can support giving clinicians a bigger role in shaping NHS services, but it could be delivered more quickly, with less disruption and at much lower cost without this Bill.

“It is simply unforgivable to spend billions on back-office restructuring when the NHS needs every penny to maintain standards of patient care.

“This new research also has a clear message for those who say the re-organisation has gone too far to reverse. It couldn't be clearer: drop the Bill and save over £1 billion for the NHS.

“Labour recognises the need to develop more cross-party consensus on changes to hospital services, essential to help the NHS face the future and prevent the political world becoming dangerously at odds with the medical profession. We stand ready to play a responsible part in that.

“The crisis of professional confidence in Andrew Lansley and his Health Bill is deepening. By dropping the Bill, the Government would bring much-needed stability, save over £1bn next year and allow the NHS to focus on the financial challenge.”