Power games and the NHS

THE fickle nature of politics means David Cameron cannot win with his NHS reforms. If he had pressed ahead with these changes in their original form, he would have been accused of arrogance. Having then paused the process, in order to listen to concerns of the public and health professionals, the Prime Minister is said to have shown weakness.

Yet, despite many Tory backbenchers suggesting that Mr Cameron has been unduly influenced by the imploding support of Nick Clegg and the embattled Liberal Democrats, the PM showed great maturity by allowing health experts to significantly revise his plans and propose some wide-ranging alternatives.

The consequence should be a consensus that enables the National Health Service to evolve as politicians consider the financial consequences of an ageing society alongside the need to keep costs under stricter control. As the PM implied, the long-term outcome is far more important than Westminster’s obsession with identifying the political winners and losers from this process.

This is certainly borne out by the NHS Futures Forum insisting that the Secretary of State is the person ultimately responsible for the delivery of services, and that hospital staff should work alongside local GPs in commission healthcare with new consortia being phased in over the next two years.

While this is welcome, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley should be mindful – when he presents the Government’s response later today – about whether the long-term social care of the elderly should have a more clearly defined role in this process. At present, there is considerable duplication between GPs, hospitals and health bodies.

Equally, Mr Lansley needs to highlight the benefits of some NHS treatments being provided, free of charge, by the private sector – and that there will be an even greater need to out source services in the coming years.

It will not be easy bringing about a joined-up health policy that achieves financial savings and maintains standards of care. If Mr Lansley can meet both of these objectives, it will be an achievement that the Tories and Liberal Democrats can celebrate – provided that the implementation of the final proposals is not derailed by political power games.