Conservatives renew call for independent NHS
pharmafile | November 9, 2007 | News story | |Â Â Â
The Conservative party says the NHS must be freed from 'political tinkering' in order for it to focus on improving the health of the nation.
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley has unveiled preliminary details for an NHS (Autonomy and Accountability) Bill, which the party will introduce in the next Parliamentary session either as an opposition bill or a private members' bill.
The bill would require government support to stand any chance of becoming law, but Gordon Brown backed away from plans to create an independent NHS shortly after becoming Prime Minister in June.
The Tories say they want to work with the government to give the health service autonomy in time for its sixtieth anniversary in July 2008, with a full constitution proposed to ensure its founding principles are protected.
Of particular interest to the pharmaceutical industry are plans to make NICE more independent from government, including giving it powers to decide some of its own work programme.
Andrew Lansley also recently promised his party would ensure NICE appraised new cancer drugs as soon as they are licensed "so that the UK will be among the first to introduce effective cancer treatments". ?
Speaking on the plans for NHS independence Lansley said: "The NHS is being held back by top down targets and suffocating bureaucracy.
"We have to free up doctors and nurses and those who deliver care for patients. We need to give patients more choice and voice over their health care."
He said the plans would still allow the health secretary to direct the NHS Board and to intervene where necessary.
But the plans have been rebutted by health minister Ben Bradshaw, who said: "It is simply wrong to suggest that taxpayers should invest £90 billion in the NHS but there should be no political accountability for how that money is spent."
The minister said another Tory policy to scrap performance targets would see long waiting lists return to the NHS, and claimed there was a 'black hole' in Conservative finance plans that would undermine investment in the service.
