The entire health profession is behind the Government's reforms for the NHS after the modifications made following the 'listening exercise', the prime minister David Cameron has claimed.
In comments that have been dismissed by GP leaders, the prime minister said he'd heard a ‘massive message' during the listening exercise that the NHS reforms should continue.
The comments came just a day after Unison demanded an ‘immediate halt' to the Health and Social Care Bill's progress through Parliament.
According to thisiscornwall.co.uk, during a visit to the hospital in Cornwall where his daughter was born Mr Cameron told hospital workers: ‘It is going to be doctors and GPs and nurses having much more control over the health service, clinically-led commissioning, much more integrated care but also more choice for patients.'
‘That is what the health professionals told us they wanted out of the reforms, that is what we're now delivering and I feel that the whole health profession is on board for what is now being done. NHS hospitals are not about making profits they are about serving patients.'
GPC chair Dr Laurence Buckman expressed surprise at Mr Cameron's claims.
He told Pulse: ‘There are bits in the health bill that look like a good idea – but there's so much that doesn't look like a good idea. To amend the bill as the BMA hopes to do, is going to be so difficult it would be better if they started again.'
‘The health unions are all against it, and if you add up the nurses and health workers, GPs from the College and GPC, and doctors the BMA, I'm not sure who Cameron thinks is enthusiastic about it.'
Dr Buckman felt it was important to distinguish between the health bill, and GP commissioning: ‘If you ask GPs are you interested in commissioning, I think they'd say yes. But if you ask if they want the health bill, I think from what I've listened, they'd say no.'
‘People who are interested in GP commissioning have been doing it for years, and they don't need a health bill to do it'.
