Foundation hospital plan a confused mess
May 8, 2003 11:05 AM
The Liberal Democrats believe Labour's foundation hospital plan would create a two-tier system.
West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne is calling on the government to think again on its foundation hospitals plan after yesterday's vote on the issue in the House of Commons.
Liz commented:
"It is a sign of the times that when 63 Labour MPs vote against their own government, Tony Blair hails it as a 'small' rebellion. Apart from the recent votes on Iraq, this was one of the largest backbench rebellions in history, with many more abstaining."
"The clear conclusion of yesterday's vote is that the government must think again. Their plan to introduce foundation status for a select few hospitals is a confused mess. Despite their locally owned, mutual status, they will still be barraged with government targets. They will be able to claim a greater democratic mandate than Primary Care Trusts, which have a role in deciding the priorities for local hospitals, which will inevitably cause ructions and a waste of time and money. And they will be able to poach staff from non-foundation hospitals by offering improved pay and conditions, creating a two-tier system."
"Nine times out of ten, NHS users are treated without a hospital ever being involved. If Labour is serious about giving local people greater control over health planning, they should decentralise and democratise the NHS itself, not just a small proportion of hospitals."
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