11.07.12
Welsh NHS reform report ‘discredited’ - BMA
The BMA has stated that the report supporting NHS structural reform in Wales is “discredited” after emails emerged between the author and senior civil servants.
Yesterday Conservative AMs attacked the report for a lack of independence and accused the Welsh Government of pressuring the author to reach a prearranged conclusion.
Health secretary Lesley Griffiths – who was urged to resign if she had knowledge of the contact – has denied any government influence on the report. She said she was not directly involved in the “formation of the report” and that the contact simply involved requests for data or advice.
The report has been used to support the case for changes to hospitals inWalesand the opposition has called for more clarity around the process of commissioning and compiling the report.
Dr Richard Lewis, Welsh secretary of the BMA, said: “We must now question whether this report was published in an attempt to justify plans for service change which were being designed by health boards.
“It could be viewed as a cynical attempt to downgrade quality and access to services by manipulating the opinions of health professionals and the public through a now discredited report.”
Griffithsresponded to the criticism, and said: “I simply cannot allow political posturing to block the path of good government being done. Be under no illusions, good government means taking the tough decisions on the NHS that enables it to be safe and sustainable in the future.”
The report’s author, Professor Marcus Longley, stated: “The Case for Change document is an entirely independent piece of work carried out by myself in partnership with NHS Confederation Wales.
“The Welsh Government is by definition the sole custodian of much of the data required in compiling this report, and any correspondence with them was to source this information.
“The report makes a strong and valid case for change in the way our NHS operates and was compiled without bias or influence.”
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