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Dear
We believe that the hugely unpopular Health and Social Care Bill may do lasting damage to the NHS, leading to inequality between areas, reduced public accountability, poorer levels of patient care and less value for money. The changes are also likely to strain the NHS budget, at a time when cuts are already being made.
We urge you to listen to your constituents and the increasing number of healthcare professionals and charities. Please vote against the Bill at its third reading in the House of Commons.
Yours sincerely
The government’s proposed Health and Social Care BIll represents the most radical change to the NHS is its 60 year history. The Bill will alter the way the NHS works by increasing commercial competition and changing the way services are commissioned and paid for.
There has been competition within the NHS for some time, although so far this has been mainly confined to the provision of services. The proposed legislation would fundamentally change this model so that the planning and commissioning of services would be subject to greater market forces, rather than being planned for the benefit of everybody, regardless of who they are or where they live.
We think these drastic measures will eventually lead to inequality between different areas of the country, reduced public accountability and generally poorer levels of patient care. The reforms could also lead to some services being cancelled altogether if they are not ‘commercially viable’ - this could leave vulnerable and under-represented groups - such as the elderly or disabled - at greater risk of losing out.
The financial cost of these reforms will be immense, and will take its toll on NHS budgets, which are already being squeezed by cuts.
Most of the major groups representing British healthcare professionals have voiced serious concerns about the scope and speed of the plans, including The British Medical Association, The Royal College of Surgeons, The Royal College of Nursing, The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, Unite and Unison - to name just a few.
Many healthcare charities have also come out against the reforms, including The Alzheimer’s Society, Asthma UK, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Diabetes UK, National Voices, Rethink, The British Heart Foundation and The Stroke Association.
“Government fails to listen on reform” -- The British Medical Association
The Bill has passed its second reading in the House of Commons, and has now gone to the Committee stage. More information on the bill, and its progression through parliament can be found on the Parliament website.
topThe BIll has a few more hoops to jump through before it is made law. Once it has gone through the Committee and Report stages, it will have its third reading in the House of Commons when MPs will vote on it again - possibly for the last time. Parliament’s website also gives some good background on how this works.
We want to send a petition against the Bill to every sitting MP in Parliament signed by as many of their own constituents as possible. And we want to do this before the third reading in the House of Commons, so we need your help...
topFor a petition to be meaningful to your MP, it has to be signed by real members of the public in their constituency. That’s why we need to collect your name, email address and postcode.
We will keep this data securely, and ensure it won’t be used for anything else, or shared with anybody else.
Your name (not your postcode or email address) will be shown on this website alongside everyone else who has signed in your constituency. If you do not want your name to be shown, you can opt out after signing up.
topWe’re just a group of internet geeks in London that cares about the NHS. We don’t work in health care. We aren’t affiliated with any organisation, political party or lobbying group. We have no axes to grind.
Like many people, we felt frustrated that there was no way to express our dismay at the reforms, so we built this site as a resource and tool for channeling our objections usefully.
This is the Big Society at work.
If you’d like to get in touch with us about the petition, please contact chris.meachin@saveournhs.org
topDoctors demand reform delays - BMA
RCGP Survey highlights GP concerns over NHS Reforms
Reforms will make cash tills ring and leave us all the poorer - Nursing Times
NHS reforms criticised by health charities - Channel 4 News
David Cameron's doctor brother-in-law attacks NHS reforms - The Mirror
Royal College of Surgeons warn over NHS reforms - UKAP
Turf wars between hospitals and doctors under NHS reforms - The Telegraph
What evidence, Mr Lansley? - The Guardian
Is anyone in favour of Andrew Lansley's NHS reforms? - The Guardian
NHS Reforms: 60% Of GPs 'Against Plans' - Sky News
Ten Good Reasons to Kill The NHS Bill - Keep Our NHS Public
Doctors threaten to strike as anger grows over NHS reforms - The Independent
Q&A: The NHS shake-up - BBC News
NHS reforms: a guide to the controversial bill - The First Post
Second reading of Health and Social Care Bill, now have your say - UK Parliament
Passage of a Bill - UK Parliament
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