Green Party: Last Chance Saloon for the NHS?
The privatisation of the health services represents a long history of privatisation and free market fundamentalism implemented by the Conservative Party that has seen energy, rail, buses and the telephone network handed over to private corporations in the name of "efficiency".
Despite warnings from both sides of the aisle on the dangers of privatisation and how it will affect the health and wellbeing of the country's citizens, the Coalition Government continues to insist in the necessity of their policy in the face of fierce opposition from medical organisations, practitioners, NHS managers, doctors and nurses.
Green Party Health Spokesperson and Policy Co-ordinator Stuart Jeffrey, said about the reforms:
"This is the last chance saloon for the NHS. The Tories privatised so much of the UK's industry, now they have their sights set on healthcare, despite overwhelming opposition from clinicians, the public and NHS managers, they refuse to see the damage it will do.
"We are calling on all MPs and Lords to think hard during the final debates on the NHS Bill and ask themselves whether they really want to be the people that killed the NHS and turned it into an expensive insurance system that makes huge profits for shareholders."
The Government's position is made even more questionable as they continue to block the publication of the NHS risk assessment despite the legal ruling demanding they do so. This simply highlights either that the Government's arrogance is sufficient for it to ignore the law, mounting opposition and proof of their mistake, or that they are so blissfully ignorant that they are willing to put healthcare in insurmountable danger
Green Party Leader and MP, Caroline Lucas, expressed her shock at the Health Secretary's refusal to publish the NHS risk assessment and states she will continue to add her voice to the demands made for the release of the risk register and complete cessation of the NHS reform bill.
"It simply beggars belief that, despite two rulings demanding the release of the NHS risk register, the Health Secretary is willing to defy the law to keep it secret.
"I have written urgently to the Secretary of State today?and when the Bill is debated in Parliament next week, will once again add my voice to the calls for the ‘reforms' to be dropped completely in order to safeguard the founding principles of the NHS."
ENDS
Notes to Editor
http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/doctors-against-nhs-reforms
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/mar/09/nhs-reforms-appeal-risk-register