Clegg hints at health reform delay

Nick Clegg yesterday said he believed the Health and Social Care Bill would need to go back to a committee of MPs for further scrutiny as he stressed Ministers were determined to get it right.

The bill passed the Commons committee stage at the end of March after two months of discussion before Ministers announced a “pause” in its progress to allow for the Government’s “listening exercise” and amid strong criticism of the measures from doctors and campaigners.

Speaking hours after the British Medical Association called for major changes to the reforms or for them to be scrapped altogether, Mr Clegg said there would be “no arbitrary deadline”.

He said: “I think it’s very important MPs who are accountable to millions of patients up and down the country really have the opportunity to look at the details of what we are proposing. I think that’s why we will need to send the Bill back to committee.”

Speaking to senior representatives from health charities and patient groups at University College Hospital in London, Mr Clegg said he did not accept the Bill was going to end up so watered down it should be abandoned.

And he said the Government was “promising evolution not revolution” and no one wanted “any Government to turn the NHS upside down and inside out”.

The coalition’s plans for NHS reforms include giving control of £80bn in spending to GPs at the same time the health service faces the massive impact of trying to find £20bn in savings.

A body of experts has been tasked with drawing up recommendations, with the NHS Future Forum set to unveil its findings next month.

Many Liberal Democrats are hostile to what they see as moves towards privatisation of the health service – including a new duty for regulator Monitor to promote competition in the health service.

Members of the British Medical Association have also warned over the changed role of Monitor, yesterday warning increasing and enforcing competition within the NHS is “not the answer” and calling for better, more integrated services. It also warned of disquiet within the NHS that change was being implemented despite the “pause” in the process.

Concerns over the role of Monitor prompted Mr Clegg to tell his MPs last week that making it an economic regulator was a “misjudgment” and that it should be tasked with securing NHS collaboration not competition.

Mr Clegg said yesterday he backed the use of private companies in the health service and that they had improved patient choice but added: “It’s not the same as turning this treasured public service into a competition-driven, dog-eat-dog market where the NHS is flogged off to the highest bidder.”

The Sheffield Hallam MP said it was an “unusual” decision by the Government to pause the progress of the legislation and details of the changes “will have to wait” until the process is complete.

He added: “So what do people want from their NHS? From everything I’ve heard over recent weeks, I would say three big things: peace of mind, the best care and a say in the decisions that affect them and their families.

“No bills, no credit cards, no worries about money when you’re worrying about your health. That’s why I have been absolutely clear: there will be no privatisation of the NHS.”

Labour has tabled a motion calling for the Bill to be sent back to committee.

Labour Shadow Health Secretary John Healey said: “I welcome Nick Clegg backing Labour’s motion to send the Health Bill back to the House of Commons to re-run its committee stage.

“The Government’s plans for the NHS need to be radically rethought.”