31.01.11
Public sceptical over key elements of NHS reform
The NHS reforms faced a further blow after a poll revealed that ministers have mostly failed in their bid to win round a sceptical public ahead of its second reading in Parliament today.
A YouGov poll showed that only 24% of people support GP groups employing private management groups, with 50% opposed, and only 27% back GPs using private companies to provide NHS services. Again, 50% are opposed. Opposition is particularly strong among Labour and Liberal Democrat voters, and a large minority of Conservative voters are also sceptical.
The poll was commissioned by Unison, whose general secretary Dave Prentis told The Observer newspaper: “There is very little support for this bill anywhere. Many GPs are opposed to it, as are patients, NHS staff, clinicians, charities, think tanks, MPs and unions.”
Prime Minister David Cameron has also launched a fresh publicity drive to promote the bill and puncture ‘myths’ that have grown up around the reforms, as reported on nationalhealthexecutive.com last week.
This morning he went on BBC Breakfast and admitted the Government had struggled to explain its reforms, adding: “We need to explain them better.”
He said: “It is a good thing if patients and their GPs are able to choose between different providers. What matters to patients – I'm one too – is do I get a really good service, do I get it quickly, is it good, is it free? And that’s what it will continue to be. But if your GP says ‘well I can get you that heart check up quicker down the road at a private clinic or with this social enterprise or even here in my GP surgery rather than waiting to go to hospital’, that seems to me to be good progress but it will be free.”
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