Sadly, I don't think it would change anything. The whole idea of 'reform' has come right from the top, and a different face as Health Secretary won't make a blind bit of difference.

It will however allow a 'get out clause', allowing a change of strategy, Lansley can't U turn without losing face, but another minister can. Cameron might have argued for it but he has also been successful in pinning individual policies to individual ministers, much more so than what went on under Blair and Brown when a lot of the Cabinet members were anonymous.

I'd like to think you were right, but I think Cameron has been too big a supporter of the proposals for a change of policy not to be considered his U-turn, no matter who the new minister is.

So do I.
He is on record as having taken note of Blair's regret at not getting enough of the unpleasant stuff out of the way early on in his tenure.
He probably thinks that the public will still think of voting Labour as a toxic choice at the next election so he can get away with unpopular actions by blaming "the clearing-up of Labour's mess" during this term of office.
Then, at the next election, he can ditch the LibDems and be able to point at some favourable economic stats after the US and Euro economies have picked up and begun to drag ours up with them.
Goodness knows how many unemployed we'll have but at least Lansley's mates will, by then, be happliy cherry-picking which NHS services they can make the most profit on supplying.

The NHS works just fine. Sure, there are inefficiencies. But this is a highly complex human system (IIRC, one of the largest public institutions in the world) interacting with a chaotic environment. Inefficiencies are inevitable.

The PROBLEM is it is being hammered by private capital (think of PFI), pharmaceutical companies and - worst of all - a highly uncompetitive system of patents and trade laws (which we signed up to) that make it impossible to buy alternative drugs at a fraction of the price.

Mugwump wrote:The NHS works just fine. Sure, there are inefficiencies. But this is a highly complex human system (IIRC, one of the largest public institutions in the world) interacting with a chaotic environment. Inefficiencies are inevitable. . i'm sure these measures will help a lot ? actually NHS patients have been treated in our area for many years so these articles are not new ideas http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... reece.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rance.html and this gem from 2002 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1764823.stm that's one way to reduce NHS waiting lists I suppose ?

Mugwump wrote:The NHS works just fine. Sure, there are inefficiencies. But this is a highly complex human system (IIRC, one of the largest public institutions in the world) interacting with a chaotic environment. Inefficiencies are inevitable. . i'm sure these measures will help a lot ? actually NHS patients have been treated in our area for many years so these articles are not new ideas http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... reece.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rance.html and this gem from 2002 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1764823.stm that's one way to reduce NHS waiting lists I suppose ?

Lansley visits the Royal Free Hospital and runs from protesting doctors

Lansley visits the Royal Free Hospital and runs from protesting doctors

cod'ead wrote:Lansley visits the Royal Free Hospital and runs from protesting doctors And not long since his boss had to lock journalists into a room while he toured another hospital and was challenged by staff over the 'reforms' – staff who are now facing disciplinary action.

cod'ead wrote:Lansley visits the Royal Free Hospital and runs from protesting doctors And not long since his boss had to lock journalists into a room while he toured another hospital and was challenged by staff over the 'reforms' – staff who are now facing disciplinary action.

Rumour is that this pig's ear of a bill will receive Royal Assent on 20 March. I hope the LibDems are fooking proud of themselves for supporting this rag-bag piece of ideologically-driven, opportunistic legislation. I can't wait until that fat 2@ David Heath comes a-knocking, asking for my support in 2015, he'll be needing a surgical support from the swift kick in the knackers.

The government is so desperate to avoid it being debated again in the Commons that it is prepared to simply accept every ammendment the Lords wish to make.