Professor Steve Field, chair of the NHS Future Forum, set up as part of the Government’s “listening exercise”, says Mr Lansley’s plans to force hospitals to compete for patients – and income – in an artificially created “market” will “destroy key services”.
The controversial proposal has also been attacked by NHS staff because it betrays the founding principles – spelt out by Nye Bevan as meeting the needs of everyone, free at the point of delivery, and based on clinical need not ability to pay – and will lead to the breakup of the NHS.
Another row erupted when, after the Prime Minister appeared to be rowing back on the unpopular measures, it was reported that one of his senior advisors, Mark Britnell, had boasted at a conference of private sector providers that Tory reforms would show “no mercy” to the NHS and would offer a “big opportunity” to the for-profit sector.
Shadow Health Secretary John Healey took the opportunity to attack Mr Lansley’s Bill again. He said: “The legislation, at it stands, will break up the Health Service and open up all NHS services to private companies.”
