Minister mocked over delay in NHS shake-up

The embarrassing climbdown comes as the health select committee today warns coalition plans to hand responsibility for £80bn in NHS spending to GPs need to be “significantly changed”.

In the latest criticism of the flagship reforms, MPs say hospital doctors, nurses, NHS managers and social care chiefs should also have key roles in deciding how money is spent.

They said it was vital to make the changes to help the NHS meet the unprecedented challenge of finding savings worth £20bn by 2015.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley yesterday faced ridicule from MPs after announcing the delay to examine “genuine concerns” over his plans amid reports David Cameron has taken charge of the issue.

Mr Lansley said: “We want to continue to listen to, engage with and learn from experts, patients and front-line staff within the NHS and beyond and to respond accordingly.”

Shadow Health Secretary John Healey said: “In the middle of confusion, chaos and incompetence, the Prime Minister has pushed the Health Secretary out of the bunker to try and tell people what exactly and what on earth they are doing with the NHS.”

Labour leader Ed Miliband earlier branded the Government’s health reforms “extremely dangerous”. He called on Mr Cameron to abandon them, pledging his party would view different proposals with an “open mind”.