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A few recent news articles about the UK’s Conservative and Liberal-Democrat (Conservative) coalition government – the ConDem’s – brutal attack on the National Health Service.

David Cameron orders merging of health and social care | Politics | The Guardian

David Cameron has ordered health and social care services to be brought together in order to benefit patients in a move which government advisers are calling the NHS’s most urgent overhaul.

At the moment, health and social care – the help given mainly to old or disabled patients to help them continue to live at home rather than in hospital or nursing homes – are different systems in England. NHS medical treatment and domiciliary support, which is provided mainly by local councils, are usually not joined-up.

But Cameron has told the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, to drive through changes that health policy experts claim will make life more convenient for patients, improve care and save the NHS money.

The changes will lead to some hospitals closing, warned the pro-integration NHS Confederation, which represents hospitals and other major NHS employers.

Andrew Lansley plays down breast implant rupture fears | Politics | guardian.co.uk

Health secretary cites figures pointing to ‘acceptable’ risk and holds out hope for greater assurance by the end of the week

Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, has said he hopes the government’s expert working group will be able to give “definitive advice” on substandard breast implants by the end of the week as he criticised private cosmetic surgery providers for giving “inconsistent and poor quality” data to the review into the risk of rupture.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lansley sought to play down the health risks posed by the French implants, citing figures from the Independent Healthcare Advisory Service, which the service says indicate an acceptably low rupture rate. But he acknowleded that the official advice could change once the review had the complete picture.

“From my point of view I want to give women a degree of reassurance,” he said. He hoped the expert group, chaired by the NHS medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, give greater assurance about the official advice by the end of the week.

Doctor in Aneurin Bevan protest run over NHS changes – Health News – News – WalesOnline

Dr Clive Peedell is planning to run from Bevan’s statue in Cardiff to the Department of Health, in London, in just six days in a symbolic act opposing the UK Government’s Health and Social Care Bill to reform the NHS in England.

The clinical oncologist, who is based in Middlesbrough, will be joined by anaesthetist Stefan Coghlan, who is the chair of the British Medical Association’s Welsh Council, on the opening miles of the first Cardiff to Chepstow leg of the Bevan’s Run.

Dr Peedell told the Western Mail: “The Health and Social Care Bill does mainly affect England but the knock-on effect for Wales and Scotland could be significant for years to come.

“Bevan was the founder of the NHS and I think he would be appalled at this Bill as it undermines the founding principles of a comprehensive service, free at the point of use whatever people’s medical condition so the most vulnerable have just as good care as anyone else.

“This Bill will undermine that because of the high privatisation element it contains – it will legislate for the external market to bring in more private sector and bankrupt the system.

“The number of core NHS services will shrink. We’re already seeing cutbacks on people who smoke and are obese. As the pot of money shrinks further we will see less and less NHS delivered free at the point of care and a drive towards more insurance.”

Labour should beware of criticising GPs for being double paid | From the Editors | GPonline.com Blogs

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