Health Bill – Health Warning

Commenting on the anticipated report today resulting from the Health Bill “listening exercise”, Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George (who has been a consistent critic of the proposed ‘Lansley’ reforms) has warned his colleagues “not to celebrate victory” without seeing the details.

Mr George said, “Of course we should pat ourselves on the back for having forced an unprecedented pause in a major piece of Government legislation.  It is clear that, had the Conservatives outright power, they would be railroading this Bill through Parliament without hesitation.

“However, the risk of finding the NHS undermined through the destructive marketisation of health remains.  Unless Monitor’s primary function is to protect the integration of the NHS and that it is the Secretary of State’s duty to ensure the delivery of a comprehensive health service, then there is a risk that the Bill merely becomes a Trojan Horse to reintroduce all of the same damaging Tory policies through the back door later on.

“I’m afraid we can’t trust the Tories with the NHS.  They brazenly ignored the Coalition Agreement before the ink was even dry.  Tory promises on the NHS should be issued with a ‘health warning’!”