Ministers amend Health & Social Care Bill
The Health & Social Care Bill was reintroduced to Parliament on the 12 July 2011. This followed an emergency consultation process on the measures due to significant public and stakeholder opposition.
The Government then asked a leading group of health policy academics (entitled the NHS Future Forum), led by Professor Steve Field, to assess the results of the consultation and make recommendations to Ministers. This process was completed in June, with Ministers taking up the recommendations of the NHS Future Forum.
A summary of changes to the Bill is as a follows:
- Ministers will be given overall responsibility for the NHS with a duty to promote a comprehensive health service.
- GP consortia will now be called ‘clinical commissioning groups’ and contain at least one nurse and specialist doctor.
- Commissioners will be supported by clinical networks (advising on single areas of care) and new ‘clinical senates’ in each area of the country (providing multi-professional advice on local commissioning plans).
- The dangers of competition in the NHS will be ‘guarded against’ via the following new mechanisms: Monitor’s core duty will be to protect and promote patients (not to promote competition).
- Public accountability and patient involvement will be improved.
- Slowing the timetable for introduction of the reforms to ensure more consultation.