The end of the NHS as we know it

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Dr Clare Gerada, the new leader of Britain’s GPs, has warned that the NHS will not survive Andrew Lansley’s plans for the health service. Gerada, who takes over tomorrow as chair of the Royal College of GPs, told the Guardian:

“I think it is the end of the NHS as we currently know it, which is a national, unified health service, with central policies and central planning, in the way that [Aneurin] Bevan imagined.”

Gerada also said that she was concerned about the impact that these changes would ahve on her members, and their relationship with patients:

“At worst, the negative impact for GPs could be patients lobbying outside their front door, saying, ‘You’ve got a nice BMW car but you will not allow me to have this cytotoxic drug that will give me three more months of life.”

“I’m concerned that my profession, GPs, will be exposed to lobbying by patients, patient groups and the pharma industry to fund or commission their bit of the service. There could be letters from MPs and patient groups, and begging letters from patients.”

Shadow Health Secretary John Healey said that GPs are being forced to get involved in the “rationing” of patient care and drugs, and said that the plans would be a source of worry for patients:

“GPs in general are quite reluctant to get involved in the rationing of patient-care and drugs, but Andrew Lansley’s plans will force them to do so. Patients meanwhile, will worry about treatment decisions – are they being taken in their best interest or the best interest of the GP consortium’s budget?”

At LabourList we’ve been following the NHS white paper closely. Back in October, Kathryn Rose outlined what the reforms really mean, and Andy Burnham explained how Labour’s grassroots can fight back. Now it appears that GPs are also on the same side as the party, the fight to oppose these destructive changes will continue.