Our NHS at risk

The final stage of this wretched Bill to reorganise our NHS comes next Monday in the Lords for the final stages.

During a Commons debate on 13 March 2012 our MP Valerie Vaz,  opposed the Health and Social Care Bill and called on the Government to abandon its reorganisation of the National Health Service.

The damage that this could cause our precious NHS and the vast cost that should be better spent on patient care is of great concern. It opens the door to private companies taking over large chunks of service provision.... let the people decide ... you will have a chance in May at the local elections to show both the Tories and their Liberal lap dogs what you think of it so far!!!

Dear friends,

Have a look at this:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/NHS-petition

I’ve just signed a petition to Save the NHS. Right now the government is rushing through plans which experts, and groups representing doctors and nurses, warn could break the NHS up and hand control to private health companies.

On Monday afternoon, the House of Lords starts its final votes on the NHS changes. An influential crossbench Lord, Lord David Owen, has agreed to deliver the Save Our NHS petition. It will be carried right into the debating chamber, just before the debate starts.

Our petition will remind Lords that the public care about these risks to the future of our health service. It could persuade some wavering Lords to vote the right way. Please can you take a second to sign the petition here?
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/NHS-petition

Thanks,
Ian Robertson  Secretary Walsall South CLP


I quote from our local MP who sits on the Health Select Committee that has been looking at this Bill
Valerie said:

“If the Bill was so good in the first place and so necessary, why did it have a pause for a rethink and why were there so many amendments?


“There have been almost 2000 amendments made to the Bill but it is still unclear: if GPs are in control why are there commissioning support groups? Who are the groups accountable to? The Secretary of State says that the numbers of managers are being cut, but management consultants are crawling all over the NHS.


“GPs in Walsall have written to me to say that they are disengaged and uninspired. GPs have no experience of a business model of this scale and the pace of change is dangerous.



“The pre-legislative scrutiny was inside the Secretary of State’s head. It is time for the Government to realise that taxpayers, professionals and patients do not want this Bill.”



The debate arose on an Opposition motion, put forward after an e-petition on the Government’s website attracted more than 170,000 signatures. The Speaker selected an amendment tabled by 5 Liberal Democrat MPs.

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