12.03.15
Decision to delay report into health spending ‘disappointing’
The decision by the Health Select Committee (HSC) not to publish its report into health and care spending before the general election has been branded “disappointing”.
In an open letter to the committee’s chair, Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, the leaders of NHS Confederation and NHS Partners said that it is “concerning” that as we had in to the election we do so “without a cross party view from parliament on the future funding of our health and care services”.
The HSC’s report was expected to be published this week, but the committee decided not to publish before the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the general election.
NHE asked the HSC why this decision was taken, and was told that the committee had “taken a vote during a private meeting and decided they will not publish a report on this inquiry”.
Rob Webster, CEO of NHS Confederation, and David Hare, boss at NHS Partners, said in their open letter it was disappointing this decision had been made, despite much work and considerable input from a broad range of organisation and members of the public.
“Spending on health and care services is a hugely important issue to people who use these services, their loved ones, the staff who are employed by these services, and ultimately to the taxpayer. This issue will no doubt be a key topic for the British public in the forthcoming election,” they added.
“During the election campaign and beyond, we need a frank and honest debate with the public about the pressures which face health and care. The HSC could play a role in facilitating that debate with its clear and considered views. In our evidence we sought to assist the committee in doing so, trusting that the result would be fair, timely and objective.”
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