LONDON – The British government unveiled big changes to its controversial reform plans for the NHS yesterday after accepting the key recommendations of a panel of health experts.
Following an unprecedented “pause” in legislation prompted by unease among health professionals and Liberal Democrat MPs, health secretary Andrew Lansley’s proposals to extend competition in health provision have been significantly scaled back.
Prime minister David Cameron said “we have listened, we have learned and we are improving our plans”.
But Labour accused the Government of wasting billions of pounds by pressing ahead with an unnecessary reorganisation at a time when waiting lists are rising.
Shadow health secretary John Healey said the rewriting of the Health and Social Care Bill was a “humiliation” for Mr Lansley and called on him to apologise to patients and NHS staff.
Key changes to earlier proposals, detailed by Mr Cameron, Mr Lansley and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, include: nurses and consultants to be included on the boards of new GP groups responsible for commissioning healthcare services; stronger safeguards against a “market free-for-all”; additional safeguards against privatisation and to prevent “cherry-picking” of profitable NHS business; dropping the 2013 deadline for the introduction of commissioning groups. – (PA)