ConHome: Neuter the Health Bill

Public Services

Daniel Elton reports on the latest high-profile defection to the campaign to save the NHS: Tim Montgomerie and ConservativeHome

 

It appears the health bill, which has been teetering on the edge of collapse for months, is now crumbling to pieces.

The Guardian reported last night that the ConservativeHome website “have almost been instructed to write” an editorial against the bill by three cabinet members who have clued up to what a mess it is.

And sure enough, the website Fleet Street loves to call the ‘Voice of the grassroots’ proclaimed this morning:

“The greatest mistake of his time as prime minister has been to put it [The NHS] back at the centre of political debate…

“Many Conservatives think that the NHS needs fundamental reform but for far-reaching reform to succeed certain pre-conditions must be met.

“The public needs to have been persuaded that substantial change is necessary.

“The government cannot be distracted by other consuming projects but its best brains must be focused and single-minded in ensuring the policy’s success. The Whitehall machine needs to be prepared and co-operative.

“The health secretary needs to enjoy significant goodwill amongst NHS staff and possess exceptional communication skills. Few – perhaps none – of those preconditions exist.”

We know the health profession is against the bill. We know the public are suspicious. We know it will make more bureaucracy not less, and will probably push up costs.

It is bad policy and bad legislation. Time to put it out of its misery

Update: As we should have made clear, ConservativeHome are specifically calling for the government to “[remove] all contentious components of the Bill”.

See also:

• The Financial Times comes out against the NHS bill – Alex Hern, February 9th 2012

• Ten reasons peers should vote against Lansley’s anti-NHS bill – Shamik Das, October 12th 2011

• Miliband goes on attack as fight to save the NHS stepped up – Shamik Das, February 6th 2012

• Sign my petition to drop Lansley’s monster – Dr Kailash Chand OBE, November 24th 2011

• Don’t believe the spin – the health reforms are Cameron’s just as much as Lansley’s – Shamik Das, February 8th 2012

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