Opposition: Nick Clegg has announced he will not support the establishment of a regulator to promote competition in the NHS - a key part of health reforms
Nick Clegg has put another obstacle in the path of the Government’s controversial health reforms.
The Liberal Democrat leader announced that he will oppose the establishment of a regulator to promote competition in the NHS– a key plank of Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s plans.
But the intervention incensed Tories who yesterday questioned why the Lib Dems were happy to vote for the plans in the Commons, but are now against them following their disastrous showing in the local elections.
Two weeks ago the Deputy Prime Minister promised a more‘muscular liberalism’– with the Lib Dems not going along with so many Conservative policies.
He has already demanded Mr Lansley change his plans so that hospital doctors and nurses become members of the new GP commissioning boards which will run most of the NHS budget under the reforms.
Now he has signed off a policy document that states the Health Service must not be treated as if it were a‘utility’ with its‘own economic regulator’.
He has instead called for a regulator that has a duty to push NHS collaboration rather than competition.
Mr Clegg’s stance directly opposes the one taken by Mr Lansley, who is pushing to increase competition within the NHS to push down prices.
In the blueprint of his Health and Social Care Bill, Mr Lansley has proposed that the watchdog Monitor, which scrutinises hospital finances, is also given the duty of promoting competition.
Hospitals 'run like factories' admits retiring consultant
Aleading surgeon yesterday said red tape, EU directives, paperwork and government targets has meant NHS hospitals are being 'run as factories.'
David Sandilands, 64,hit out as he retired from his post after a 40 year career in medicine -22 years of which he was consultant surgeon at Burnley General Hospital.
'The job is unrecognisable now to when I first started because it's being destroyed by bureaucracy - it's tragic,' he said.
'Hospitals are run more like factories now with patients being rushed through.
'Targetshave become priorities and as such patient care has suffered. Morale among staff has suffered too because of the way they are being treated by management and it has caused a lot of insecurity.
'Ifind it depressing that there's a culture of not saying anything to theoutside world. Everyone working in the NHS feels the same way as me.
Aspokesman for the Burnley General said: 'We cannot say anything as we consider his criticisms to be directed to the broader NHS.'
However, Mr Clegg believes Monitor should instead promote and protect the interests of the patient.
He told Lib Dem MPs and peers on Tuesday night he would‘never let the profit motive get in the way of the essential purposes of the NHS’.
‘No to establishing Monitor as an economic regulator as if health care was just like electricity or the telephone,’ he added.
Mr Clegg’s policy document says:‘We cannot treat the NHS as if it were a utility, and the decision to establish Monitor as an“economic regulator” was clearly a misjudgment, failing to recognise all the unique characteristics of a public health service, and opening us up to accusations that we are trying to subject the NHS to the full rigours of UK and EU competition law.
‘I have come to the conclusion we must not make this change.’
Mr Clegg has vowed to veto the legislation as part of efforts to demonstrate a greater influence by his party in the Tory-led Coalition.
But Conservative Health Minister Simon Burns insisted that no decisions had been made and Mr Clegg’s proposals were merely among a number of ideas.
‘They have come up with some ideas, like a load of other people throughout the NHS,’ he said.‘All these ideas will be considered when the listening process is over and then decisions will be taken.’
Mr Burns insisted that the promotion of competition was an important part of the NHS reforms.
‘If you can get more services for less money through charitable or private sectors, then that is what people want,’ he said.‘It is very difficult how you could oppose that unless you are sticking up for some sort of state system dinosaur.’
Uneasy alliance: Prime Minister David Cameron (l) and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, pictured at a London Olympics site last week, are at odds over the NHS
Shadow Health Secretary John Healey said:‘For the past 12 months, the Deputy Prime Minister has backed the Tory changes to the hilt and Lib Dem MPs have voted for it at every stage in Parliament.
‘It’s only since his party’s disastrous showing at the local elections that Mr Clegg has started back-pedalling. He’s now trying to do a U-turn over the health bill while, in fact, up to his neck in it.’
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