Hewitt rejects NHS privatisation claims
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt has denied suggestions that the increasing reliance on the independent sector in the NHS was akin to privatisation.
And she rejected claims that opening up the health service to competition was a move away from the government’s commitment to free healthcare at the point of delivery.
The Department of Health is on the verge of signing contracts worth £3 billion for a second round of independent sector treatment centres, according to leaked documents revealed in yesterday’s Guardian.
Among other privileges, these deals would give private companies the right to use NHS premises and staff – something public service unions are going to challenge at next week’s Labour party conference.
But speaking on Today, Ms Hewitt rejected claims this was backdoor privatisation and gave an “absolute pledge” there would never be charges for treatment that was currently free on the NHS.
“We’re not selling public assets to the private sector, we’re not turning a public service into a private service and above all we are not abandoning, and we will never abandon, the principle that healthcare has got to be available free at the point of need, not based on people’s ability to pay,” she said.
Independent sector treatment centres, which were introduced two years ago, had brought down waiting times in cataract operations from three years to three months, she said.
“It is a success story. I have lost count of the number of hospital chief executives who have told me that the presence of a specialist treatment down the road has been the key to unlocking change in their consultants’ performance,” she told today’s Guardian.
The minister added that it was vital the argument about private sector involvement in the NHS was kept in proportion, saying that by 2010, only one per cent of the total budget of the health service would be spent in the independent sector.
However, public services union Unison will next week call for a review of the changes to primary care and for any further “marketisation” to be halted until this is completed.
“These changes will result in a worse deal for NHS patients and staff,” said general secretary Dave Prentis.
“Primary care trusts play a vital role in service commissioning, ensuring that a planned and holistic approach is taken and providers held to account – we are in danger of losing those checks and balances.”
