Blair defends NHS reform plans
The Prime Minister has insisted on the need to push ahead with the Government’s plans for National Health Service reform.
Speaking at the Savoy Hotel in London, Tony Blair – who celebrates his 50th birthday today – warned that any rowing back on its promises to modernise the public services would represent a ‘collective mistake of absolutely historic proportions’.
Mr Blair’s comments come amid significant concern among Labour backbenchers and union leaders over the Government’s plans to establish its scheme for foundation hospitals, whereby top-performing hospitals can become eligible for greater independence from central control.
Opponents of the scheme warn that such institutitions could lead to the development of a two-tier NHS.
Rejecting such concerns, Mr Blair told his audience this afternoon that the Government would not be deflected from its aim of driving up standards across the whole NHS.
It was essential to challenge the ‘one size fits all’ concept of public services, the PM said, adding: ‘The public has paid its money. It now expects the results. And I know that it is up to Government and frontline staff alike to show that money matched with reform can deliver results.’
Earlier today, Health Secretary Alan Milburn unveiled a £200 million package to help every NHS hospital gain Foundation Hospital status within five years.
Despite the announcement, Mr Blair still has his work cut out in trying to convince his Party on the issue prior to a key House of Commons vote on the Bill’s second reading, due to take place on Wednesday.
More than 130 Labour MPs are already signed up against the vote, while the Conservatives have warned Mr Blair that the Opposition cannot be relied upon to rescue him this time, as it did on war in Iraq.
‘It is not about elitism or two-tierism’, Mr Milburn insisted. ‘It is about levelling up, not levelling down. It is about raising standards in every hospital so that no NHS hospital is left behind.’
