The wholesale re-engineering of the NHS and the destruction of primary care trusts is expensive and unnecessary
Sir, As doctors we believe the Health Bill represents an irreversible step towards the dismantling and privatisation of large parts of the NHS. The Health Secretary is already implementing its proposals even though the Bill is not yet law. MPs and Peers must use this opportunity to avert a disastrous experiment with the nation’s healthcare.
The great majority of doctors — GPs as well as hospital doctors — oppose it. So do leading experts in the King’s Fund, the universities and many significant organisations, including the Royal College of Nursing and the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors’ Association, the NHS Confederation, the Patients Association, and the trade unions with many NHS members, Unison and Unite.
The wholesale re-engineering of the NHS and the destruction of primary care trusts (PCTs) is very expensive and totally unnecessary. If the goal is to involve GPs in commissioning it should be noted that some GPs are already working successfully with PCTs. The Government’s fulsome claims to be engaging GPs cannot conceal that this “policy” is a cloak for hospital closures, mergers and privatisation.
The use of Monitor to compel commercial competition will make hospitals subject to EU competition law and threaten the end of an equitable service. There is much evidence that price competition in a market worsens healthcare and no evidence that it improves it.
There is no democratic mandate for the Bill — the policies received no mention in election manifestos or in the Coalition Agreement. We urge Parliament to reject this unnecessary Bill, which does not reflect the enduring values of the NHS. These are cherished by the overwhelming majority of the population.
Professor Wendy Savage
Dr Ron Singer
Medical Practitioners’ Union
Professor Aneez Esmail
University of Manchester
Sir Iain Chalmers
Editor James Lind Library
Dr Sheila Abdullah, GP (Retired)
Dr Salma Ahmed, GP
Dr Hazeem Alaaraj, Medical Trainee
Dr Phil Alderson, Public Health
Dr Janet Andrews, Consultant in infectious Disease
Dr Monica Aquilina, GP
Dr L.N.J. Archer, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
Dr John Atkins, Consultant in Fetal Medicine (Retired)
Dr Lesley Bacon, Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health
Dr Arun Baksi, Emeritus Consultant Physician
Dr Simon Barry, Consultant Chest Physician
Dr Jane Beckley, GP
Dr Anita Berlin
Dr Maureen Bhatti, GP
Dr Stephen Bick, GP
Dr Shirine Boardman, Consultant Physician
Dr David Bostock, GP (retired)
Dr Dorothy Briffa, GP
Dr Raymond Brown, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Jo Buchanan, GP
Dr Ruth Clancy, Consultant In Sexual and Reproductive Health
Dr James Chan, Foundation 1 doctor
Dr Leon Clark, GP
Dr David Cohen, Consultant Stroke Physician
Dr Deborah Colvin, GP, Chair of LMC
Dr Beatrice Cooper, Consultant Community Paediatrician
Dr Josh Cullinane, Public Health MA student
Dr Melanie Davies, Past president MWF Consultant O&G
Dr Nick Dennis, Snr Lecturer Clinical Genetics (Retired)
Dr Monica Desai, Specialist registrar in Public Health
Dr Andrew Dicker
Dr Sarah Divall, GP
Dr Jienchi Dorward, GP traiinee
Dr Gordon Drummond, Consultant Anaesthetist
Dr Peter Draper, Public Health (Retired)
Dr Danny Dubois, Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Dr Mary Eminson, GP
Dr George Farelly, GP
Dr Henry Fell, Consultant Microbiologist
Dr Jacqui Ferguson, Psychotherapist and Psychoanalyst
Dr Veronica Fisher, GP Retired
Dr Mike Fitchet, GP
Dr Adam Forman, GP
Dr Katy Gardner, GP
Dr Colin Godber, Consulant in Old Age Psychiatry (Ret)
Dr Charmian Goldwyn, GP (retired) Medical Justice
Dr Natasha Gordon, GP
Dr Margaret Hannah, Deputy Director of Public Health
Dr Patrick Harboow, GP
Dr Roger Hayter, Consultant Physician
Dr John Hayward, GP
Dr Larry Haywood, Consultant Oncologist
Dr Margaret Hickman
Dr Paul Hobday, GP
Dr Julia Hodges, GP
Dr Tom Holland, GP
Dr Kim Holt, Consultant Community Paediatrician
Dr Richard Horton, Editor of The Lancet
Dr D.C. Hurman, Consultant Oncologist
Dr Mengu Hycilmaz, GP trainee
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Dr Barbara Jacobs, GP (retired)
Dr Guy Johnson, GP
Dr Coral Jones, GP
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Dr Dinesh Kapoor, GP
Dr Merav Kilner, Specialist Registrar in Public Health
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Dr Matthew King, Consultant in Acute Medicine
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Dr Saul Marmot, GP
Dr Abayomi McEwan
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Dr Stuart Mclellan, Consultant in Aneasthasia and Intensive Care
Dr Honor Merriman, GP
Dr Jennifer Mindell, Clinical Senior Lecturer
Dr David Misselbrook, Dean, Royal Society of Medicine
Dr Sally Mitchison, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy
Dr Julia Nelki, Consultant in Child Psychiatry
Dr Noelle Murphy, Consultant ED
Dr Gillian Needham, Postgraduate Dean
Dr Elizabeth Newson, GP
Dr Carol Norris, Consultant Physician
Dr John O’Dowd, Consultant in Public Health Medicine
Dr Sahota Onkar, GP
Dr Tony O’Sullivan, Consultant Community Paediatrician
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Dr Clive Peedell, Consultant Oncologist BMA Council
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Dr William Primrose, Consultant Physician
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Dr Daniel Rainbow, GP
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Dr Jo Richardson, GP
Dr Liliana Rise, GP
Dr Rob Rjckborst, GP
Dr Jane Roberts, Consultant Child Psychiatrist
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Dr Mary Rogerson, Consultant Nephrologist
Dr Thomas Round, GP
Dr Jens Ruhbach, GP
Dr Rustam Salman, Consultant Neurologist
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Dr Martin Schweiger, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control
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Dr Alex Scott-Samuel, Senior Clinical Lecturer
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Dr Ajay Sharma, Consultant Community Paediatrician
Dr Paul Shire, GP
Dr Kirsten Shirke, GP
Dr Catherine Sikorski, Junior doctor
Dr Jim Sikorski, GP
Dr Brian Silk, Consultant Paediatrician Med.Dir. (Retired)
Dr Ruth Silverman, GP
Dr Ron Singer, GP
Dr Guru Singh
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Dr Ann Solomon, GP
Dr Des Spence, GP
Dr Andrew Storey, Consultant Physician
Dr Annie Stork
Dr Stephen Struebind, GP
Dr Maureen Sturrock, Consultant Psychiatrist (Retired)
Dr Fiona Subotsky, Past President MWF/retired Child Psychiatrist
Dr Gupta Sunanda, Consultant Community Gynaecologist
Dr Will Tapsfield, GP
Dr Andy Tate, GP
Dr Dave Tomson, GP
Dr John Tripp Consultant, Paediatrician (Retired)
Dr Carol Trotter, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry
Dr Grant Urquart, Consultant Radiologist
Dr Ruth Vickers
Dr Sue Walsh
Dr Catherine Ward, Respiratory & General Medicine
Dr Charles Warlow, Consultant Neurologist
Dr Diana Warner, GP
Dr Barbara Wesby, GP
Dr Emma West, GP
Dr Ingrid Wolfe, Child Public Health Research Fellow & Paediatrician
Dr Pam Wortley, GP
Dr Paula Wright
Dr David Wrigley, GP member, BMA Council & GPC
Dr Gavin Young, GP
Dr Venetia Young, GP
Dr Pam Zinkin, Consultant Paediatrician (Retired)
Dr Jackie Applebee, GP
Dr Natasha Arnold, Consultant Geriatrician
Dr Ian Banks, GP, President Mens Health Forum, Member BMA Council
Dr David Bareford, Consultant Haematologist
Dr Helen Barrett, Research Training Fellow
Dr Eric Beck, Emeritus Physician
Dr Jane Beckley, GP
Dr Morris Bernadt, Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Beulah R. Bewley, Past president MWF
Dr Lynda Bobrow, Consultant Histopathologist (Retired)
Dr Kambiz Boomla, Senior Lecturer in GP
Dr Nick Burns-Cox, Consultant Urologist
Dr Gordon Caldwell, Consultant Physician
Dr Robert Cumming, Haemotologist (Retired)
Dr Jonathan Dare, Consultant Child Psychiatrist (Ret)
Dr Paolo Domizio, Consultant Pathologist
Dr Matthew Dunnigan, Senior Research Fellow
Dr Tim Fenn, GP
Dr Brian Fisher, GP and Chair of Socialist Heatlh Association
Dr Roger A. Fisken, Retired Consultant Physician
Dr Richard Fitzgerald, Consultant Radiologist
Dr Thomas Fitzgerald, Consultant Anaesthetist
Dr Jonathan Fluxman, GP
Dr Andrea Franks, Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Michael Gopfert, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
Dr Derek Gould, Consultant Interventional Radiologist, NIHR Senior Investigator
Dr Hugh Grant-Peterkin
Dr Felix Greaves, Registrar in Public Health
Dr David Hughes, Consultant Radiologist
Dr Samina Ishaq, Lead Consultant Acute Pain Service
Dr Barbara Jacobs, GP (retired)
Dr Penelope Jarrett, GP
Dr Efun Johnson, Community paediatrician
Dr Marco Kerac, Specialty Registrar in Public Health
Dr Richard Lehman, Senior Research Fellow Dept Primary Care
Dr Karen Leyden, Consultant anaesthetist
Dr Anna Eleri Livingstone, GP
Dr Karen Lock
Dr Jane Logan, GP
Dr Sarah Logan, GP
Dr Pam Martin, GP
Dr Geoff Mitchell, Consultant Psychiatrist (Retired)
Dr Laura Muckait, GP
Dr Pat Munday, Consultant Genitourinary Physician
Dr Malila Noone, Consultant Microbiologist (retired)
Dr Sophie North, FY2 doctor
Dr Stephen Olczak, Consultant Physician in Endoc. & Diabetes
Dr Roseanna Pollen, GP
Dr Janet Porter, Consultant Accident & Emergency
Dr Kate Richards, GP (Retired)
Dr Judith Richardson, Consultant in Public Health
Dr Russell Roberts, Consultant Nephrologist
Dr Andrew Robins, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr John Robson, GP
Dr Tony Roques, Consultant Haematologist (Retired)
Dr Donna Samuels, GP
Dr Richard Savage, GP
Dr Suzanne Savage, GP
Dr Nigel Speight, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Andy Stewart, GP
Dr Sarita Symon, GP
Dr Patricia Tate, GP
Dr Jonathon Tomlinson, GP
Dr Norman Traub, ConsultantHaematologist (Retired)
Dr Julian Tudor-Hart, GP, Author & Research Fellow
Dr Tony Waterston, Consultant Paediatrician (Retired)
Dr Barrie Woodcock, Consultant Haematologist
Dr Patrick Zentler-Munro, Consultant Physician
Dr Helen Andrewes, GP
Dr Lucy Carter, GP
Dr Duncan Davidson, Consultant Neurologist (Ret)
Dr Jacky Davis, Consultant Radiologist
Dr Peter Fisher, Consultant Physician (Retired)
Dr Stephanie Govendon
Dr Helen Groom, Vice Chair of MPU & GP
Dr Isobel Hodkinson, GP
Dr Rebecca Hope, Hon Academic Clinical Fellow
Dr Geoffrey Lewis, Consultant anaesthetist
Dr Helen Newton, Locum Consultant in Rehabilitation
Dr Bhatti Osman, GP
Dr Mark Waters, GP
Dr Christell Blunden, GP Trainee
Dr Fleur Fisher, Family Planning doctor and manager, Past president of MWF, Former BMA spokesperson (Retired)
Dr Gerard Reissmann, GP
Dr Luke Zander, GP (retired)
Dr Maggie Eisner, Training Programme Director for GPs
Emeritus Professor Isky Gordon, Consultant Oncologist (Retired)
Emeritus Professor David Metcalfe, Professor of General Practice
Emeritus Professor Martin Pippard, Professor of Haematology
Emeritus Professor John Dickinson, Professor of Medicine (Retired)
Emeritus Professor Ron Taylor, Professor of O&G (Retired)
Emeritus Professor John S. Yudkin, Professor of Diabetic Medicine
Miss Jane Cockburn, Consultant O&G
Miss Jane Dickinson, Consultant Opthalmologist
Miss Audrey Platt, Consultant O&G (Retired)
Mr Matthew Armon, Consultant Vascular Surgeon
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Mr Griff Fellows, Consultant Surgeon
Mr David Halpin, Consultant Surgeon
Mr Richard Newell, Orthopaedic Surgeon (Ret)
Mr David Paintin, Emeritus Reader in O&G
Mr Adrian Sugar, Consultant &SL in cleft and maxillofacial surgery
Mr Hugh Paterson, Consultant Colo-rectal Surgeon
Mr Bryan Rhodes, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
Mr Rick Turnock, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon
Mr John Feehally, Nephrologist
Ms Helene Brandon, Consultant O&G
Professor Richard Coker, Professor of Public Health
Professor David Cottrell, Dean of Medicine
Professor Peter Fleming, Professor of infant health and developmental physiology
Professor Allan House, Director, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
Professor Chris Redman, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Professor D.G. Seymour, Professor of Old Age Medicine
Professor David Blane, Professor of Medical Sociology
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Professor Christopher Dowrick, Professor of Primary Medical care
Professor William Irving, Hon Consultant Virology
Professor Harry Keen, Professor of Medicine
Professor Alan Smyth, Professor of Child health
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