Health service overhaul plans face stiff opposition

In the lead up to the introduction of the Health and Social Care Bill today (19 January), concerns were raised by organisations such as the Royal College of Midwives and Unite that the proposed shift towards greater competition in the health services could act as an obstacle to collaboration and effective multi-agency work.

Another controversial measure is the abolition of primary care trusts and the creation of GP consortia, which will be responsible for around 80 per cent of the total health budget.

Following the unveiling of the bill, Andrew Ross, chief executive of the Children’s Trust Tadworth, a charity for children with multiple disabilities, said: "We are concerned that GP consortia are unlikely to have the expertise or purchasing power to cope with commissioning services for vulnerable children with high-cost, low-incidence conditions such as acquired brain injury.

"The government needs to ensure that highly specialised services are all commissioned effectively, but at this stage there are no guarantees that this will happen. The challenge for us will be to see that the interests of children and families with complex and diverse needs are properly represented in the new system."

One element of the bill which has already received cautious praise from the sector is the proposed health and wellbeing boards which would require local council representatives and the director of children’s services to work alongside GP commissioners to improve public health.

Leicestershire County Council has already begun developing its board. Leader of the council David Parsons said: "Our plans for the work of the health and wellbeing boards are to bring partners together to drive a new strategy for health and wellbeing across all parts of the care system in Leicestershire.

"It’s a new group of people, operating in a new way, across a new system. The collective knowledge and expertise we have built up about local health and social care needs is substantial.

"We are now bringing it all together in a way that will make a big difference for Leicestershire people – we want healthcare to be more efficient, more effective with better outcomes. That can only happen if local government and health practitioners work together even more closely than we have done before."

In its response to the introduction of the bill the Royal College of GPs said it remained cautious about the changes. Chair Clare Gerada said the organisation would guard against the fragmentation of the NHS.