The Government today described as ?disappointing? a call by the
British Medical Association (BMA) for it to withdraw or significantly amend
its health reforms, which posed an ?unacceptably high risk to the NHS?.
BMA chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum said there was an ?inappropriate and misguided
reliance on ?market forces?? to shape services, which could have long-term
knock-on effects.
In an letter sent to every MP, Dr Meldrum said: ?It is clear that the troubled
passage of the Health and Social Care Bill reflects real concern over the
future direction of the health service in England.?
He said the BMA acknowledged government efforts to address concerns about the
bill, but added: ?However, we still believe that the Government?s reform
plans pose an unacceptably high risk to the NHS, threatening its ability to
operate effectively and equitably, now and in the future.
?This is why the BMA continues to call for the Bill to be withdrawn or, at the
very least, to be subject to further, significant amendment.?
The letter said widening patient choice to ?Any Qualified Provider? (AQP)
across a larger range of services could destabilise local health economies
if not carefully managed.
It also said not enough thought had been given to the ?unintended knock-on
effects and long-term consequences? of proposals in the bill.
The letter said focus on the changes from the reforms was creating a
?noticeable distraction? from efforts to improve the quality of patient care
at a time when the NHS was working to save 20 billion in efficiency savings.
It said: ?The risks are high, not least because the long-term effects of the
legislation are likely to be extensive.
?Meaningful, sustainable reform needs to have the full confidence of patients
and those working in the health service.?
In an interview with the Guardian, Dr Meldrum said the reliance on market
forces could mean that hospitals would be forced to treat wealthy foreigners
rather than poor patients to raise cash.
He told the newspaper the reforms would see the NHS become a market-based
health system like the United States.
?There, those who pay or are insured get a better service than those who do
not and rely on state-funded Medicare. Until now our system has been built
on social solidarity where patients get appropriate treatment in the
appropriate time.?
He said trusts were being encouraged to concentrate on profitable areas of
work rather than the most essential.
Last month leading union Unison warned the health reforms would take the cap
off the number of private patients hospitals can treat, pushing those on the
NHS to the bottom of waiting lists.
The union?s head of health, Christina McAnea, said: ?The public do not want a
health service where people can buy their way to the top of the NHS queue.
?The end of the limit on the number of private patients hospitals can treat,
will lead to less profitable NHS patients being pushed to the back of the
ever-growing waiting lists.?
The Government previously maintained the Bill, which will resume its passage
through Parliament after the summer recess, is a crucial part of its vision
to modernise the NHS so that it is ?built around patients, led by health
professionals and focused on delivering world-class healthcare outcomes?.
A Department of Health spokesman said: ?The BMA?s campaign is disappointing
because as the doctors? union they previously said they were pleased that
the Government has accepted the Future Forum?s core recommendations, and
that there will be significant revisions to the Health and Social Care Bill.
?The independent NHS Future Forum confirmed the NHS must change to safeguard
it for the future. They also found the principles of our plans ? such as
handing more power to doctors and nurses and putting patients at the heart
of the health service ? are well supported.
?We will never privatise the NHS and patients will never have to pay for NHS
care. Our plans have been greatly strengthened in order to safeguard the
future of the NHS.?
Chairman of the independent NHS Future Forum Steve Field said: ?Every health
system in the developed world faces the challenges of rising demand, an
ageing population and increasing costs of treatment. These challenges will
not be met by the NHS doing more of the same. They require a culture that
centres on patients and makes better value of available resources.
?It became clear during the listening exercise that the NHS had to change. So
we were pleased that the Government listened and put forward over 180
amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill to improve its plans to
safeguard the future of the NHS. The old hospital based system has to
develop into a more preventative, community based system.?
PA
Article source: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/high-risk-health-reforms-warning-2348028.html
Source: http://health-nutrition-fitness.net/health-news-and-facts/high-risk-health-reforms-warning/
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