|
The BMA is stepping up its activity to publicise its concerns about government
reforms that have created a market in healthcare and allowed commercially run
firms to provide NHS care.
“Look After Our NHS” is today (1/6/09)
being launched to gather examples of the impact and cost of market-driven reforms,
show where public money is being wasted, and the adverse effects this has had
on patient care and doctors’ working lives.
The BMA has long argued that government policy to reform the NHS in England
by introducing a market-based system of healthcare will have a negative impact
on local health economies and services for patients. Using private money to
fund new hospital buildings has resulted in crippling debts for NHS Trusts.
Introducing competition between NHS providers, including hospitals and GP surgeries,
and arranging costly deals with private companies to run independent sector
treatment centres, is having an adverse effect on many existing services.
Dr Hamish Meldrum, the BMA’s Chairman of Council said:
“A market economy is based on winners and losers. We’re not
prepared to allow parts of the NHS to fail.
We want to get rid of the market in healthcare and allow our hospitals
and GP surgeries to work together, not be forced to compete against each other
for business. Worse still it leads to unnecessary duplication, encourages
gaming and there is no good evidence that it drives up quality.”
The BMA is calling on doctors to sign up to a set of key principles that argue
for an NHS which is publicly funded, publicly provided, and publicly accountable.
It should use public money for quality healthcare, not profits for shareholders,
and put the care of patients before financial targets. Doctors’ training
also needs protection since there is little incentive for commercial providers
to deliver training to junior doctors.
A series of activities is being planned to encourage doctors to speak out about
local concerns and to give their views on how the market is affecting patient
care in their area. A branded, interactive website, newsletter, campaign pack
and publicity at BMA conferences are just some of the activities that will commence
in June 2009.
News is included on the IvyRose website to inform visitors
about current health issues, but not to endorse any particular view or activity.
Any views expressed in the article above are not necessarily those of IvyRose
Ltd.. Material in this news item was released by the British Medical Assocition
(BMA) on 1 June 2009
and may have been edited (e.g. in style, length, and/or for ease of understanding
by our international readers) for inclusion here. For further information, please
visit their website.
|
