In a letter to the medical journal The Lancet, the 154 paediatricians say they see no way for the bill to be improved to protect children’s access to health services.
The signatories also criticise the costs relating to the proposed changes to the NHS, which they say have already diverted resources away from frontline patient care.
The letter states: "We believe that the bill will undermine choice, quality, safety, equity, and integration of care for children and their families.
"The NHS outperforms most other health systems internationally and is highly efficient.
"Competition-based systems are not only more expensive and less efficient but are associated with gross inequality in perinatal and child health outcomes, including child safeguarding."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
