Thursday, June 05, 2008
Trust(s) in the NHS
Commenting on Government plans for private firms to be drafted in to run struggling NHS hospitals and primary care trusts in England, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:
"This begs the question: why are so many hospitals are failing in the first place?
"With superbugs at high levels in many failing hospitals, poor performance can literally be a matter of life and death for patients, and sorting this out should be our top priority.
"Changing the management of hospitals is not necessarily the right solution, yet the Government persists in rushing headlong down this route.
"What is absolutely scandalous about this proposal is the option for private companies to be in charge of primary care trusts. These trusts take vital decisions on hospital treatment and access to drugs. Subcontracting these to private companies is not acceptable.
"The Liberal Democrats would ensure that these decisions were made by an elected local body."
"This begs the question: why are so many hospitals are failing in the first place?
"With superbugs at high levels in many failing hospitals, poor performance can literally be a matter of life and death for patients, and sorting this out should be our top priority.
"Changing the management of hospitals is not necessarily the right solution, yet the Government persists in rushing headlong down this route.
"What is absolutely scandalous about this proposal is the option for private companies to be in charge of primary care trusts. These trusts take vital decisions on hospital treatment and access to drugs. Subcontracting these to private companies is not acceptable.
"The Liberal Democrats would ensure that these decisions were made by an elected local body."
# posted by John Beanse @ 8:25 AM 
