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HomeLabour launches anti-reforms ‘NHS Check’ service Labour leader Ed Miliband is set to offer to join forces with Britain’s nurses as he addresses the Royal College of Nursing Congress in Harrogate. Encouraging nurses to join them against the Government’s reforms, Labour is launching a new...<<Read More>>
Lansley vetoes publication of risk register The Government has confirmed that it is to veto the publication of the NHS reforms risk register, despite rulings from the Information Commissioner and the Information Rights Tribunal and demands from opposition MPs that it should be made...<<Read More>>
Commissioning Board’s regional chiefs named The NHS Commissioning Board has announced its four regional directors, who are all currently senior managers at SHAs and PCTs. The Regional Director for the North of England will be Richard Barker, currently Chief Operating Officer at NHS North of...<<Read More>>
Labour seizes on leaked draft risk register A draft version of the risk register on the Health and Social Care Bill has been leaked, and suggests that emergencies in the NHS could be less well managed under the Government reforms. This follows the ruling by the Information Commissioner for the Government to publish...<<Read More>>
MPs pass Health & Social Care Bill The controversial Health & Social Care Bill has now cleared Parliament after more than a year of debate and significant opposition from health professionals, unions and peers. The Bill – which was originally about giving GPs more control over the NHS budget, cutting the number...<<Read More>>
The Health and Social Care Bill has been approved by the House of Lords, despite two attempts to scrap it. The Bill will now return to the Commons where MPs will consider planned changes for a final time. Labour has forced a 90-minute debate, granted by Commons Speaker John Bercow...<<Read More>>
Clegg demands amendments to NHS reforms Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is demanding that the Government water down NHS reforms after warning that the plans were potentially leading to the privatisation of England’s hospitals. Clegg has sent a letter to all Liberal Democrat politicians urging them to back new amendments...<<Read More>>
The Government is to introduce further concessions to the health bill in response to Liberal Democrat concerns. It is promising further safeguards over the use of the private sector and the role of the NHS regulator, Monitor. The bill aims to give GPs control of much of the NHS budget...<<Read More>>
The Government has lost its appeal against a ruling that would force the Department of Health to publish the NHS Transition Risk Register. Lord Owen, one of the most trenchant critics of the Health & Social Care Bill in its current form, has said it would be a “constitutional outrage”...<<Read More>>
Clegg demands amendments to NHS reforms Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is demanding that the Government water down NHS reforms after warning that the plans were potentially leading to the privatisation of England’s hospitals. Clegg has sent a letter to all Liberal Democrat politicians urging them to back new amendments to the...<<Read More>>
Conservative criticism of controversial Bill New criticism has been launched against the Health and Social Care Bill, suggesting that legislation could cost the Conservative Party the next election, due to failure to win public support. Writing on the Tory grassroots website ‘ConservativeHome’, editor Tim Montgomerie claimed that...<<Read More>>
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...<<Read More>>
Professionals respond to new NI health model A new model for health and social care has been launched in Northern Ireland. A review, which received over 3,000 contributors and advice from a panel of independent experts, suggest that changes need to be made to improve the service. The key...<<Read More>>
King’s Fund warns of lack of leadership in London The NHS reforms will force hospitals into financial difficulty, and GPs may be unable to provide adequate leadership to implement closures, the King’s Fund has warned. The think tank suggests that a body or structure to oversee London’s healthcare...<<Read More>>
NHS will be like a ‘budget airline’ – Gerada The chair of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Clare Gerada, believes that the health reforms have the potential to damage relationships between GPs and their patients and will allow richer patients to ‘muscle in’ on treatments. Giving GPs control over health budgets will force them to choose...<<Read More>>
Lord Owen tables amendment to the Bill Lord Owen has tabled a new motion to replace the earlier amendment to the Health & Social Care Bill last week. Following discussion with Lord Hennessy, Earl Howe, and representatives from the Department of Health and the Chief Parliamentary Counsel, the new motion is specific to...<<Read More>>
Protestors blocked Westminster Bridge in central London yesterday to demonstrate that they wanted peers to reject the Health & Social Care Bill, due to be debated in the House of Lords this Tuesday. Around 3,000...<<Read More>>
Reforms threaten Conservative support Labour is set to claim that the NHS reforms form a ‘lethal’ threat to Prime Minister David Cameron, with voters asking serious questions about the future of the NHS, when Shadow Health Secretary...<<Read More>>
NHS should be able to take direct control of FTs – Nicholson NHS chief executive David Nicholson has publicly challenged a key proposal in the Health & Social Care Bill, stating that the Government is wrong to block failing foundation trusts from returning to direct NHS control...<<Read More>>
Cuts to services ‘imminent’ - NHS Confederation The financial problems faced by the NHS mean that cuts to services or closures of whole departments may be necessary, according to the head of the NHS Confederation, Mike Farrar. The NHS is currently being...<<Read More>>
NHS must remove whole services to save money - FTN The NHS needs wholesale reconfiguration to achieve cost savings, the Foundation Trust Network (FTN) suggests. Longer term contracts would also provide more stability for providers and scope for longer term planning...<<Read More>>
NHS reform savings lower than expected NHS reforms will save £700m less than originally thought, according to a new impact assessment by the Department of Health. The revised figures came the day after the amended Health & Social Care Bill was passed by the House of Commons. The... <<Read More>>
Further rebellion from Liberal Democrats Senior Liberal Democrats are planning further opposition against the health reforms next week at the party’s annual conference. Former MP Evan Harris and Baroness Shirley Williams, who were instrumental in getting the Government to change direction... <<Read More>>
Health & Social Care Bill debated in Parliament The NHS Health & Social Care Bill is returning to Parliament, with MPs set to debate more than 1,000 in just two days. Many doctors, nurses and other health professionals remain opposed to the plans, and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s...<<Read More>>
Health groups support hospital closures Further health groups, professionals and authorities have supported the idea that there are currently too many hospitals, and some must be shut down.Yesterday, former NHS chief executive Lord Crisp recommended in an interview that some hospitals needed to close to ensure...<<Read More>>
Health & Social Care Bill should be withdrawn – BMA The BMA has written to every MP warning them about the amended health reforms which return to the House of Commons next week, suggesting they should be withdrawn or subject to further substantial amendments... <<Read More>>
NHS reforms and the future built environment For an essential public body as old and as large as the NHS, reform is inevitable, argues Andy Stuart, director, Future Health & Care Expo... <<Read More>>
Debate continues over competition in the NHS Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has said it will be the courts rather than his Health & Social Care Bill which ultimately determines the application of competition law. Speaking to MPs on the Health Select Committee yesterday, Lansley said: “If you’re trying to establish with certainty...
NHS heart director steps down with attack on reforms The nation’s heart ‘tsar’, Sir Roger Boyle, who has served under six health secretaries, is standing down, blaming his decision partly on the NHS reforms. Sir Roger was the national director for heart disease, but said ministers were...
Doctors vote down amended reforms Doctors have rejected the amended NHS reforms, in a snub both to the Government and the BMA’s own leadership team, which had cautiously welcomed the changes. At the BMA’s conference yesterday, 59% of delegates voted to call for the Health and Social Care Bill to...
Doctors’ warning on trust issues The BMA begins its annual representative meeting in Cardiff today, following a warning by the organisation’s head, Dr Hamish Meldrum, that the NHS reforms could reduce patients’ trust in doctors. He argued: “If patients even suspected that their GPs might be rewarded for how well they do, and particularly...
MPs vote to reconsider reforms in Parliament Parts of the Health & Social Care Bill will be “recommitted” to enable fresh scrutiny of the amended NHS reforms. The procedure, which has not been used since 2003, was backed by MPs with a majority of 73, meaning parts of the Bill will now be sent back to the...
Nicholson sets out new transition arrangements Sir David Nicholson, chief executive of the NHS, has written to its constituent organisation about transition arrangements following the Government’s response to the NHS Future Forum report. Sir David says: “The last few weeks have been a period of significant uncertainty...
Department of Health sets out detailed new reform proposals The Government’s full and detailed response to the NHS Future Forum’s recommendations on the new shape of the reforms is now available. A summary of the key changes, published by the Department of Health, is outlined below...
Future Forum disagrees on Milburn intervention Sir Stephen Bubb of the NHS Future Forum has said some of Alan Milburn’s points on health service competition were “very fair” – despite Forum chairman Professor Steve Field saying Milburn was “wrong”. They and other members of the NHS Future Forum were being...
Milburn angered by NHS ‘car crash’ A former Labour health secretary has criticised the Coalition’s NHS reforms as the ‘biggest car crash’ in the service’s history. Alan Milburn, who served under Tony Blair, and is widely seen as a moderniser , made his comments as the Government sought to explain the new...
‘We have listened, we have learned’ Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has admitted he “did not do it right” on the proposed NHS reforms as he, David Cameron and Nick Clegg accepted the “core recommendations” of the NHS Future Forum. Speaking at Guy’s Hospital in central London , they announced that the proposed GP...
Huge response to reforms consultation The members of the NHS Future Forum charged with recommending overhauls to the reforms met over 6,700 people at more than 200 ‘listening’ events and meetings with more than 250 relevant organisations. The consultation also received more than 3,000...
NHS Future Forum’s 16 reform recommendations The NHS Future Forum has published its 16 recommendations on changing the NHS reforms, which moderate the pace of change, involve more healthcare professionals in commissioning, boost patients’ rights, avoid competition as an end in itself, and increase...
The final report of the NHS Future Forum is being received at Downing Street today by David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Andrew Lansley. The Government is expected to accept most of its recommendations for changes to the Health & Social Care Bill, including its very first sentence – which would have removed the...
Lib Dems celebrate amended reforms A leaked email from a Liberal Democrat GP heavily involved in his party’s approach on amending the NHS reforms said those involved should give themselves “a pat on the back” – despite Conservative anger over the triumphalism...
Lansley job loss speculation continues Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, may lose his job due to the NHS reforms, according to the head of the British Medical Association. The situation has stemmed from the proposed changes, which have been heavily criticised... <<Read More>>
‘DH ignoring risks of failure in NHS reforms’ – MPs MPs who have taken the unusual step of examining the impact of the NHS reforms before they have been implemented have concluded the vast reorganisation could “distract” NHS staff also trying to achieve huge cost-savings and... <<Read More>>
Government continues listening exercises The Prime Minister joined the Health Secretary for the latest of the ‘listening exercises’ designed to give Government frontline feedback on the unpopular NHS reforms. Representatives from the Foundation Trust Network... <<Read More>>
Nurses attack Lansley’s reforms Nurses are expected to continue to show their frustration with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley at their conference today – and could hit him with a vote of no confidence. Lansley has been criticised for “not having the guts” to address the full Royal College of Nurs... <<Read More>>
Government whip warns he will step down over NHS reforms Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s senior parliamentary advisor Norman Lamb warns he will resign if major changes are made too swiftly to the NHS reform Bill. Lamb has voiced his concerns to the BBC after ministers announced a two... <<Read More>>
Health unions welcome Committee’s proposals The Royal College of Midwives has welcomed a Health Select Committee report urging changes to the NHS reforms. Commenting on yesterday’s report, Cathy Warwick, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said... <<Read More>>
Ministers promise change to NHS reforms The Government has promised to “listen and engage” with those with concerns about the NHS reforms during the two-month “pause” in the Health and Social Care Bill’s passage through Parliament. Deputy PM Nick Clegg promised... <<Read More>>
David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg are taking ‘personal charge’ of the NHS reforms as the Governments signals some changes to the Bill to appease critics. ‘Any willing provider’ will become ‘any qualified provider’, while deadlines for GPs to organise into commission... <<Read More>>
Clegg vs Lansley over NHS reforms Deputy PM Nick Clegg is expected to ‘negotiate’ with the Health Secretary to amend the NHS reforms. The Liberal Democrat leader will ‘front up’ his party’s argument with Andrew Lansley in an effort to seek changes to the Health and Social Care Bill, following the reb... <<Read More>>
Criticism of English NHS reforms – from Scotland The leader of Scotland’s GPs has “sent a message” to doctors and politicians in England, urging them to reject the NHS reforms. Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the BMA’s Scottish General Practitioners Committee, said... <<Read More>>
NHS reforms put Coalition under strain A rebel Lib Dem has vowed to lead fights against the NHS reforms from within the Coalition – and thinks he will gain Conservative support. Southport MP John Pugh, who has warned of “chaos and confusion” and said it is “likely”... <<Read More>>
Monitor chief attacked for comparing NHS reform to utilities privatisations The newly-appointed chairman of health service competition regulator Monitor has been criticised by the NHS Alliance for “simplistic” arguments about breaking up the organisation... <<Read More>>
‘Moral duty’ to oppose NHS reforms – Shirley Williams Respected peer Shirley Williams has come out against the Government’s health reforms and could act as a lightning rod for grassroots Lib Dem concern at the party’s Spring Conference later this month. The peer wrote in... <<Read More>>
Rift in the BMA over reforms stance Doctors upset with the British Medical Association stance of ‘critical engagement’ with the Government over NHS reforms could topple chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum and take the organisation in a more radical direction. Reports suggest that doctors are... <<Read More>>
Evidence given in Health Bill debate The president of the Royal College of Physicians, Sir Richard Thompson, is giving evidence to the Health Bill Committee today. The college’s main concerns are integrating commissioning and ensuring specialist involvement in decisions, reversing fragm... <<Read More>>
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... <<Read more>>
PM’s message to doctors over reforms David Cameron sent a message directly to the country’s doctors in support of the Coalition Government’s NHS reforms, insisting they are “not a revolution”. The Prime Minister issued the message to the 182,000 members of doctors.net.uk, attempting to separate the truth... <<Read more>>
Report warns of rising costs and falling standards during NHS transition The short-term impact of the NHS reform could be rising costs and falling standards, according to the National Audit Office. The NAO report said managing the reform process will be the key factor: “Our work has identified a num... <<Read more>>
Final countdown for ‘big bang’ NHS reforms Ministers are presenting the Health and Social Care bill to Parliament today and have been revealing more about the controversial NHS reforms which will abolish much of the organisational structure of the health service, increase... <<Read more>>
‘Pace of reforms driving PCTs into the ground’ PCTs are “imploding” according to the BMA, which has responded to the publication of the health select committee’s critical report on NHS reform. The committee, chaired by former Tory health secretary Stephen Dorrell, criticised... <<Read more>>
MPs criticise approach taken to NHS reform The health select committee, chaired by a former Tory health secretary, has criticised the way NHS reform is being implemented. The committee’s report today welcomes the policy direction of the Government and GP commissioning... <<Read more>>
NHS reforms gain more backers – and more detractors GP groups across half of England have signed up to the Government’s health service reforms – despite mounting opposition from the medical unions and colleges. The BMA, Royal College of Nursing and six health unions have expressed... <<Read more>>
The “unprecedented” financial pressure facing the NHS and the upcoming shake-up of the structure of the health service make this a “defining year”, according to the British Medical Association (BMA). Chairman of the BMA council, Dr Hamish Meldrum, said the reform... <<Read more>>
£400 million doctor award scheme urgently needs reform or scrapping, says NHS Employers The £400 million clinical excellence award scheme for doctors is out-dated, unfair and not clearly linked to the needs of today’s health service, according to new evidence from NHS Employers who... <<Read more>>
New director of NHS Employers wants employers “front and centre” of NHS reforms On his first day as Director of NHS Employers, Dean Royles pledged to put employers “front and centre” as the NHS moves forward with Government reforms. “The White Paper, Liberating... <<Read more>>
Government to be ‘put in court’ by Unison Public sector union, Unison, has announced that that the government is facing a real fight when the union takes it to court over its proposed reforms for the NHS. Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said: “The NHS does not belong to the Government it belongs...
NHS Confederation publishes response to white paper The NHS Confederation has published its response to the government white paper on NHS reform.The document points out that whilst NHS workers are willing to engage with the government over health reforms, those reforms need to be dealt with carefully...
Unison attacks NHS reforms, again Following health secretary Andrew Lansley’s speech at the Conservative Party Conference, public service union Unison has again launched an attack on plans to reform the NHS. General secretary of the union, David Prentis, said: “The public should not be fooled. Lansley’s plans for the NHS signal the biggest overhaul of...
Help to get patients back home, announced by government The government has announced a £70 million package of funding to pay for people to have extra help in adjusting to going home after a stay in hospital. Andrew Lansley said: “From next April, the NHS will have new responsibilities for people’s care needs for 30 days after they leave hospital...
NHS spurns private healthcare providers, according to Civitas report A number of senior staff in the NHS are potentially denying patients better treatment because they are not taking into account private sector suppliers, according to a new report by think tank Civitas. The report found that many doctors were ignoring representatives from private sector providers, because...
Nurses express concern over NHS reform plans The Royal College of Nurses has said that it is concerned over certain aspects of the government’s plans to reform the National Health Service. The college has said that whilst it supports many aspects of the government’s plans, it believes that staff need to be more thoroughly consulted on changes.
Doctors unsure about health reforms, according to Trust chief executive The controversy over the governments plan to hand commissioning power to GPs has been stirred up again by comments made an NHS trust chief executive. Dr Ros Keeton, chief executive of Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, has said that doctors are not sure about their new responsibilities... |
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