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They could do, but the government would probably fall as a consequence. The liberals have well and truly tied their hands to that mast. They're a disgrace, really, but then I've been saying that since the moment the coalition was announced.
From: Joseph White <[log in to unmask]>
Sender: Anglo-American Health Policy Network <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:41:38 -0500
To: <[log in to unmask]>
ReplyTo: Joseph White <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: May be of interest

OK, as a non-expert in British politics: what the heck do the Libs think they're doing enabling this????  Couldn't they just veto it and make Cameron/Lansley back down? Or do C-L think they could afford an election?

On Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 7:29 AM, Alastair Fischer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

The author (John Ashton) has been hauled before his Primary Care Trust (his local NHS administrative body) to face disciplinary action for publicly opposing the Health Bill currently before the House of Lords (upper house). It has created a furore within various Public Health bodies in England, as he is one of the most senior Directors of Public Health in the country. It seems that the directive to have him face disciplinary action was instigated from fairly high up in the Department of Health. Ashton’s piece (link below from Adam) has been written and published since the disciplinary action was announced a couple of days ago.

 

The Bill has come under increasing criticism, the main fear being the breakup of the NHS as it exists in favour of what amounts to a private-sector takeover of its functions, increasing costs and bureaucracy (from 3 layers to between 5 and 7), requiring a large portion of the population to take out supplementary health insurance and reducing the services currently provided. The fear is also expressed that competition required by the Bill will all-too-often destroy the integration of services that would seem to be necessary for best care of patients with conditions such as diabetes, CVD including stroke, cancer, etc

 

Most of the Royal Colleges have come out against the Bill and are asking for it to be withdrawn. This has been done after each body has conducted a poll of its membership. The most recent, the Royal College of Paediatricians, had 79% of those who replied asking for withdrawal of the Bill, and as far as I know, this is the lowest percentage asking for withdrawal of any of the Royal Colleges that has conducted a poll. Figures range to over 90% asking for withdrawal. The 3 leading generalist medical journals in the UK (Lancet, BMJ and HSR&P) have all called for the withdrawal.

 

Here is a link to yesterday’s Telegraph, the most “respectable” of the daily papers that almost always supports Conservative governments.  

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/9098662/David-Cameron-and-No-10-are-losing-their-grip-on-the-reins-of-power.html

 

Alastair Fischer PhD

 

Phone 020 7045 2140 within UK

+44 20 7045 2140 international

 

From: Anglo-American Health Policy Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Oliver,AJ
Sent: 23 February 2012 11:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: May be of interest

 

 


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