07.02.12
Bill is ‘unamendable’ – Lord Owen
The Health and Social Care Bill is still fatally flawed and ‘unamendable’, Lord Owen argues in a statement released before the report stage of the legislation. He calls for the Prime Minister to ask for the Bill to be withdrawn, then aspects on which there is widespread agreement could be implemented under existing legislation.
Lord Owen writes: “The great majority of the bodies that speak for the health professions are now calling into question the fundamentals of the Health and Social Care Bill.”
He adds that the Coalition Government has no mandate for this legislation, and is implementing significant changes to the health system structure ahead of Royal Assent.
“The prize for foregoing the Health and Social Care Bill is potentially immense. A relieved workforce, a uniting of the health professions, an accompanying readiness to adopt a reform programme within existing legislation at a faster pace than ever before. These are major advantages worth far more than temporary political embarrassment. An NHS that is all working together can and will adopt a positive reform programme,” Lord Owen concluded.
The BMA has also called for the Bill to be dropped, claiming that the Government’s amendments do not do enough to address the issues of concern. Additionally, the organisation suggests that the numerous amendments will only increase the complexity and bureaucracy of the legislation.
Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of BMA Council, said: “An over reliance on ‘market forces’ remains at the core of the Bill, there is excessive control over commissioning groups, plans for incentives for commissioning are ill-thought through, and proposals to give hospitals more scope to generate income from private patients pose serious risks.
“The Government has had to make so many amendments to remedy the initial flaws in the legislation and has brought in so many checks and balances that the level of complexity and bureaucracy in the new NHS will be huge. It would be better to withdraw the Bill altogether and come up with a new plan – one that will actually improve care and make the NHS more efficient.”
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