Saturday, February 18, 2012

'No critics' at PM's NHS meeting

David Cameron addresses staff at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey on 6 April 2011The prime minister is convinced that changes to the NHS are needed

Some of the fiercest critics of the government's planned NHS reforms say they have not been invited to a meeting about the changes with David Cameron.

The British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing, which want the bill to be withdrawn, say they have not been asked to Monday's event.

Labour accused the prime minister of a "last-ditch desperate bid to shore up collapsing support" for the bill.

Downing Street would not disclose who had been invited to the meeting.

A spokeswoman said only that it was "a range of national healthcare organisations and clinical commissioning groups".

The BMA said in a statement: "If there is such an event, it would seem odd if the major bodies representing health professionals were not included."

The Royal College of Nursing, which also wants the Health and Social Care Bill to be withdrawn, said it was not aware of having received an invitation. The Royal College of GPs could not confirm whether or not it had received an invitation.

'Last-minute'

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "This has all the hallmarks of an event thrown together in a last-ditch desperate bid to shore up collapsing support for the bill."

He suggested the prime minister had snubbed some of the groups because he "wouldn't like what they've got to say".

However, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "This forms part of the government's ongoing dialogue with health practitioners about the implementation of these reforms."

On Friday, members of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health joined several Royal Medical Colleges, including the Royal College of GPs and the Royal College of Radiologists, in calling for the bill to be scrapped.

Unions, including the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives are among those who also want it to be withdrawn.

Last weekend, Mr Cameron reaffirmed his support for Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, saying he was "at one" with him over the plans following reports of criticism from three Tory cabinet members and influential website Conservative Home.

More than 142,000 people, including footballer Rio Ferdinand, have signed an e-petition calling for the bill to be dropped.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-17083357

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