Wendy Savage writes at OpenDemocracy.
Dr. Evan Harris warns of continuing NHS issues to Liberal Democrat activists at the Social Liberal Forum (SLF) conference “Liberalism, Equality and the State”.
Andrew Lansley writes in the Independent suggesting that the NHS is not successful and needs reform. How on Earth do the proposed ‘reforms’ put “patients are at the centre of every decision”? It’s bollocks.
- Conservative election poster 2010
A few recent news articles concerning the UK’s Conservative and Liberal-Democrat coalition government – the ConDem’s – brutal attack on the National Health Service.
Saving the NHS: the fight goes on | openDemocracy
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I believed the listening exercise was a PR response to the growing chorus of dissent and outrage about the Bill -over 400,000 signatures collected by 38 degrees, the BMA’s and the RCN’s opposition, the TUC march with thousands demonstrating their anger about the cuts in a peaceful and good natured way with NHS banners prominent, and local marches, demonstrations and pickets cannot be ignored and have impinged on Cameron. Clegg, after signing of the White Paper and the Bill (apparently, according to Lib Dem health spokesman John Pugh, without having read them), was forced to respond to the demands of his own party led by Baroness Shirley Williams and Dr Evan Harris in March. The result of the May elections made him really try to get some changes but the LibDems are no match for the wily Tory politicians.
The Future Forum, billed as independent experts, were selected by whom? The listening events were aimed at the voluntary sector and ordinary people could not get to them except when the Guardian had one where Steve Field was 75 minutes late having been held up in his taxi after talking to David Cameron in Ealing. I managed to get to the London one in Islington and the whole room was skeptical about the Bill and these changes will not reassure the public. The poll commissioned by ITN showed that 49% of people do not think they can trust the Conservatives on health and half of the rest did not know what to think.
Lansley said after 99% of nurses at their conference passed a vote of no confidence in him ‘I am sorry if what I am setting out to do has not communicated itself” as if he had not been speaking all over the country to Radio and TV programmes and newspapers backed by a team of numerous press officers. But I think the absence of confidence is because he has not told us the truth about what his plans aim to achieve which is turn the NHS into a commercial market. We the English people do not want this and we must badger our MPs of all parties until they get the message.
NHS reforms hide ‘new threats’, warns leading Lib Dem | Society | The Guardian
A leading Liberal Democrat has warned there are “new threats” hidden within the reworked NHS plans that have been drawn up for the coalition.
The former MP Dr Evan Harris, who led the first Lib Dem rebellion which forced the government to “pause” its reforms and think again, has told the Guardian he can’t rule out another Lib Dem rebellion if the coalition doesn’t move to ameliorate three new problems in its proposals.
Harris has concerns regarding competition, commissioning of private firms, and the level of responsibility for the NHS held by the health secretary.
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I am determined to see these plans through to secure a sustainable health service for generations to come. This process has at times been difficult – modernising an organisation as large as the NHS always is – but this is what I am in politics to achieve.
Now it is time to move forward. I think, in years to come, people will see this as a key moment – when, with the guidance of medical experts, we put the NHS on the road to success.
27/11/13 Having received a takedown notice from the Independent newspaper for a different posting, I have reviewed this article which links to an article at the Independent’s website in order to attempt to ensure conformance with copyright laws.
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dizzy