THE vast majority of doctors believe the Tory-LibDem coalition government’s health policies threaten the future of the NHS, finds a poll for the BMA.
The Ipsos MORI survey of BMA members, published today, was carried out in January and reveals widespread opposition to ‘increased competition’ in the NHS.
Statements garnering the highest levels of agreement among the 1,645 respondents were:
• Increased competition in the NHS will lead to a fragmentation of services (89 per cent agree);
• Increased competition in the NHS will reduce the quality of patient care (65 per cent agree);
• The move for all NHS providers to become, or be part of, foundation trusts will damage NHS values (66 per cent agree);
• The proposed system of clinician-led commissioning will increase health inequalities (66 per cent agree).
The survey suggests that doctors believe the changes that are most likely to be achieved are those which are least welcome.
For example, almost nine in ten (88 per cent) think it is likely that the reforms will lead to increased competition between providers, but only a fifth (21 per cent) believe this will improve the overall quality of NHS care.
Conversely, doctors believe the changes that would be most beneficial are least likely to be achieved.
For example, two thirds (67 per cent) think closer working between general practice and hospitals would improve the overall quality of patient care, but only a third (34 per cent) believe it likely that the reforms will lead to this.
In terms of the impact on their own roles, three fifths of respondents (61 per cent) think it likely that the reforms will lead to them spending less time with patients, a change which only one per cent would welcome.
Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of Council at the BMA, stated: ‘This survey shows that the government can no longer claim widespread support among doctors as justification for these flawed policies.’
He added: ‘The Secretary of State has repeatedly said he wants to listen to doctors.
‘Doctors are telling him that whole rafts of these proposals will either not achieve the intended benefit to patients, or will be harmful.’
It has also emerged that the health service ‘reforms’ will lead to GP practices being floated on the stock market, a move that will signal the demise of the NHS.
Under health secretary Lansley’s health and social care bill currently going through parliament, GP consortiums will control £80 billion of NHS funds to commission healthcare.
Documents recently made public reveal that private health firm, IHP, proposes that the commissioning budget for patients be handed over to a private company in which family doctors would own a 20 per cent stake.
IHP is in talks with three GP consortiums to set up the company that would turn ‘underspends’ in their annual budget into profits.
This company would seek to treat patients at 95 per cent of the cost of the NHS, creating a five per cent ‘saving’, which would be booked as ‘profit’.
