‘CAMERON’S speech today, with the five fake pledges on the NHS, signify that the coalition government is going full steam ahead with the health and social care bill’, BMA Council member Anna Athow told News Line yesterday.
She added: ‘The bill is about privatising the whole of delivery of NHS care and opening the door to the privatisation of commissioning as well.
‘Cameron is pledging to promote competition, and open up a competitive market for any private company to provide NHS clinical care.
‘The fact that Cameron did not mention the GP commissioning consortiums (GPCCs) just GP commissioning, should ring the alarm bells.
‘GPCCs are at the heart of the bill, and will act as a transition stage to full blown privatisation of commissioning by large US healthcare companies like United Health and KPMG.
‘This speech is a declaration of war on the NHS.
‘Those union leaders who pretend that this speech somehow indicates that the bill is being diluted are not serving their members well.’
Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of Council at the BMA doctors union, claimed that Cameron’s speech was a ‘significant step in the right direction’.
He claimed: ‘The Prime Minister’s speech suggests he is committed to integrated NHS services, and the involvement of a wider range of staff in their design . . .
‘It is positive that he recognises the need for a level playing field, with private providers contributing to the costs of training, and unable to cherry-pick the most profitable services.’
The BMA is holding a GPs National Conference this Thursday and Friday at the Mermaid Theatre in central London, where a number of motions express ‘concerns that the government’s health reforms could be the greatest threat to the NHS since its inception’ and ask ‘Will the Health and Social Care Bill lead to the privatisation of the NHS?’
Royal College of Nursing Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said: ‘We are pleased that David Cameron is using the “pause” period to reflect on the honestly held concerns that the public and professionals have over the future of the NHS . . . the Prime Minister appears to have gone some way in listening to our concerns that commissioning should be clinically-led with nurses involved at every level.’
The TUC unions poured scorn over Prime Minister Cameron’s ‘five guarantees’ on the future of the National Health Service.
Rachael Maskell, Unite national officer for the health sector, said: ‘Promises from David Cameron today will not shield patients from a government hell-bent on shackling the NHS to the legislation that will destroy it.’
Unison General Secretary Dave Prentis said: ‘The public should not be fooled by Cameron’s doublespeak on the NHS . . .
‘The government’s so-called “guarantees” are worthless . . .
‘The fact remains that this Bill is deeply damaging. The Government is pro-privatisation and it will pave the way towards a US-style private system.
‘Profit-driven private health companies are ready and waiting to come in and take over NHS services in the same way that they have raided the care sector.’
Royal College of Midwives General Secretary, Cathy Warwick, said: ‘David Cameron has not honoured his pre-election pledge to recruit 3,000 more midwives, so how can we trust him not to break his promise on these pledges?’
She went on to warn: ‘This bill could be a Trojan horse for privatisation and competition in the NHS. ’
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