Drop perilous NHS reforms, say leading health professionals
..Seven former presidents of the Faculty of Public Health accuse the Prime Minister of ploughing ahead with an "unprecedented marketisation" of services, which poses a "major threat" to the integrity of the NHS.
In a letter to Mr Cameron, the group warns: "The Bill is likely to produce a 'patchwork quilt' health system that will vary hugely across the country, failing to meet the diverse needs of the population and undermining the health of vulnerable, minority groups."
..Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health, has denied the changes will worsen health inequalities. In an interview with The Independent on Sunday last month, he said: "What I am introducing won't make any postcode lottery worse. Actually, because we expose more information, where things aren't being done as well as they should, people are able to use that information to drive improvement."
But the seven signatories of the letter – Professor Alwyn Smith, Dr June Crown, Professor Rod Griffiths, Professor Sian Griffiths, Professor Walter Holland, Professor Alan Maryon-Davis and Professor James McEwen – say the outcome of the reforms will create a "deplorable state of affairs". They also question why the legislation is being pursued at a time when the NHS is being forced to find an unprecedented £20bn in efficiency savings. "We hope that the Government will reconsider, and withdraw it," they add.
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http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/drop-perilous-nhs-reforms-say-leading-health-professionals-6283820.html
