Hackney MP Diane Abbott slams proposed NHS changes
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North & Stoke Newington
A Hackney MP has slammed coalition plans to reorganise the NHS, arguing that the consequences of the planned shuffle would be “potentially disastrous”.
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington and shadow minister for public health, voiced her concerns about the planned changes which were discussed during a debate on Wednesday’s Opposition Day.
The motion, put forward by Labour, argued that the coalition’s plans constituted “an ideological gamble with successful services”.
It also lobbied the secretary of state for health to “listen to the warnings from patients’ groups, health professionals and NHS experts and to rethink and put the White Paper reforms on hold” so that the NHS could focus on improving patient care whilst making efficiency savings.
The opposition party also demanded truthfulness about the reality of future NHS funding, claiming that there would be no real terms increase, as promised by the coalition.
Abbott added that the estimated £1.7billion cost of the proposed changes could be more usefully spent in other ways, and that the changes would cause redundancies costing “hundreds of thousands”.
She said of the Opposition Day: “Yesterday’s debate gave us the opportunity to highlight some of the fatal flaws in the coalition’s White Paper. They are gambling with the NHS at one of its busiest times and are spending billions on a reorganisation which could be potentially disastrous for the health system in this country”
“They are also still promising increases in funding year on year, which we will simply not see. It is about time the coalition came clean over what is an ill thought-out, unnecessary, top-down reorganisation which will leave the NHS in chaos for years to come.”
The motion was not passed, with 239 votes in favour and 317 votes against.
Related story: Hackney GPs and health watchdog warn new proposals will undermine NHS