As identified by Professor Kieran Walshe in the Guardian, the mantra of Health Secretary Andrew Lansbury that the most wide ranging restructuring of the NHS for decades will bring about lower bureaucracy costs, is highly questionable. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/16/nhs-reorganisation-patient-care-bmj
The surplus made by NHS Trusts this year is going to be used to underpin reorganisations, and the highly acclaimed academic is estimating that the cost of this reorganisation is going to be between £2bn-£3bn. How can it be economic sense to get rid of 152 PCT organisations to replace them with 500-600 GP commissioner units? How can this lead to less bureaucracy and management costs? How will this impact on patient care?
Surely GPs are better spending their time treating patients, rather than negotiating contracts. Bearing in mind that 50% of GPs have said they do not want to become Commissioners.
Early evidence is showing already that this is not about reducing management costs, it is not about putting patients at the heart of care, it is about ideological dogma - it is about opening up the NHS to the private sector, Already key private health companies have welcomed the reorganisation.
This reorganisation will not bring improved patient care, it will not empower patients, but will allow private companies to plunder the NHS for profit.
Clare Williams
