Labour Deputy Leadership candidates critical of Blair NHS reforms

email to a friend | user comments

Published: 22 June 2007

Labour Deputy Leadership candidates critical of Blair NHS reforms

Labour’s deputy leadership election has revealed deep unease within the party over the direction that NHS reform has taken under Tony Blair.

A joint Keep Our NHS Public / Red Pepper magazine survey of candidates’ views on health reveals that even those considered to be more Blairite have serious reservations about how the NHS has been handled, while other ministers are critical in ways that might have got them sacked just a few months ago.

Private sector

On the key question of private sector involvement in the NHS, Peter Hain has moved furthest, saying:

“Where we have failed is being clearer about what the scope and limits of private sector involvement should be.

As a very basic general principle, I believe public services should be publicly provided unless there’s a very good reason why not.”

Hain believes Labour; “needs to be prepared to admit when we have made mistakes”.

Harriet Harman targets the controversial independent sector treatment centre (ISTCs) programme – the privately run facilities performing NHS operations, much lauded by Blair.

With the future of the second wave of ISTCs in doubt, Harman said it was ‘clear’ that the centres “have not always proved to be more efficient or innovative than NHS-run elective centres”.

Alan Johnson, the front-runner, said Labour “has a responsibility to monitor the success of its changes, and if outsourced services do not perform, we must act”.

He conceded that “many people have closely associated the trust debt difficulties with the outsourcing of services, and Labour must take care to treat the root of the problems”.

Candidates have been pulled to the left by the threat of John Cruddas, who has called for a moratorium on private sector involvement in the NHS.

He believes the introduction of a market system “has had a hugely destabilising effect on local health economies”.

Choice

Candidates delivered a rebuff to the government’s focus on patient choice – the central mantra of the Blair/Hewitt years.

Johnson sees it as a secondary issue, saying “choice will only be valued if a good choice is on offer. The quality of healthcare per se is most important to the public, so the government must maintain its concentration on healthcare standards primarily”.

Hilary Benn prioritises “a good service and speedy treatment”, with patients being treated with respect. For him choice is merely “an important part of these aspirations”.

Harman agrees that “what really matters is getting the best possible treatment in the shortest possible time”, while Cruddas believes “the public value high quality, local and tailored care”, not choice.

Only Hazel Blears and Hain are effusive on choice, with Blears saying that ‘as socialists’ Labour must end a situation where “the working class have put up with second-rate services from the NHS”.

Charges

The idea of introducing charges for NHS treatments became fashionable towards the end of the Blair era, after being proposed by Charles Clarke. The deputy leadership contest has shown the depth of opposition to the idea, with all candidates except Blears dismissing it out of hand.

Commenting on the responses, Dr Jacky Davis of Keep Our NHS Public said:

“Aside from Iraq, it is clear that the NHS is seen as Blair’s biggest mess – even by those in his own government.

The ‘patchwork privatisation’ of the NHS has been a disaster, and it’s very welcome that the Labour Party is recognising this.

It’s not too late to save the NHS, but it will require a radical change in direction from the government”.

Who’s best for the NHS – Keep Our NHS Public’s verdict:

1. John Cruddas

2. Peter Hain

3. Harriet Harman

4. Alan Johnson

5. Hilary Benn

6. Hazel Blears

Further information