British Medical Association Launches "Look After Our NHS"

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 04 Jun 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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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 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.

Source
British Medical Association