Hand back NHS, says doctors’ leader

The Government should stop meddling, take its “hands off” the country’s National Health Service (NHS) and release it from central political control, the leader of the UK’s hospital consultants has said.

Dr Jonathan Fielden, chairman of the British Medical Association’s consultants committee, said doctors no longer trust the Government to run the NHS in England and criticise policies that lack vision and leadership.

He told the annual UK consultants’ conference: “This Government has placed too much emphasis on central political control.

“It is the lack of clinical evidence being used in some areas and the lack of clinical, and most importantly, public engagement that has meant this Government has lost the trust of the profession.

“It is the Government’s handling of the NHS that is at fault. Give it back, take your hands off, stop meddling. Let the professions lead, hand in hand with the public, and you will see the progress our patients want.”

Dr Fielden urged the Government to “dump the polyclinic” and “stop wasting money on poor procurement in the private sector and invest more intelligently in the NHS”.

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British Medical Association

Your comments: (Terms and conditions apply)

“No. It HAS to be led by one cohesive body. The professions would never agree; it also needs managing by those who hold the budget i.e. the government.” – Charmian Russell, Manchester, UK

“NO, when the running of the service was left largely to doctors, the NHS was a tripartite mess! Doctors need more managing and controls upon them as, for example, they still refuse to comply with many infection prevention strategies.” – Donna Hepworth, UK

“Yes I agree that the Government is too involved: making new regulations everyday while healthcare staff are still halfway through implementing the last set of regulations creates confusion leading to mistakes. However, the Government should put into trial some healthcare systems managed by them and some not, and compare services yearly as proof to the public.” – Augustina Fashola, Luton, UK

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