Cameron: Trust me with the NHS
David Cameron wraps up his speech to NHS workers with five guarantees:
“I can guarantee you today: we will not endanger universal coverage – we will make sure it remains a National Health Service.
“We will not break up or hinder efficient and integrated care – we will improve it.
“We will not lose control of waiting times- we will ensure they are kept low.
“We will not cut spending on the NHS – we will increase it. And if you’re worried that we are going to sell-off the NHS and create some American-style private system – we will not.
“We will ensure competition benefits patients.
“These are my five guarantees.
“Guarantees you can hold me to and that I will be personally accountable for. Yes, we will modernise the NHS – because changing the NHS today is the only way to protect the NHS for tomorrow.
“And yes, we will stick by our core principles of an NHS that is more efficient, more transparent, and more diverse – principles we will extend across our public services through our upcoming white paper so we improve them for everyone.
“But I will make sure at all times that any of the changes we make to the NHS will always be consistent with upholding these five guarantees.
“There can be no compromise on this. It’s what patients expect.
“It’s what doctors and nurses want. And it’s what this government will deliver.”
