YOUR MP WRITES (From Worcester News)

YOUR MP WRITES

9:40am Friday 22nd August 2008

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BEFORE the recess in the House of Commons, in a debate, I outlined my personal seven-point manifesto for the NHS pointing the main parties to vote-winners that would benefit all of us as users and owners (we pay for it!) of the NHS: Abolish prescription charges – these are unfair. A Government review of these charges has been struggling for many months to produce a report. The loss of revenue, £450 million, could be made up by a small tax increase for those earning over £100,000 per annum.

Ivan Lewis MP, a junior health minister, has recently suggested a greater increase in tax for the super rich so this idea is entering consideration. His suggestion would raise at least £3 billion so a smaller increase for more people would raise enough to cover this abolition.

Quality – the theme of Lord Darzi’s recent report on the NHS. Quality, I think, depends on four Cs, which are: Care – safety, use of the best treatments and avoidance of errors; Compassion – dignity, sympathy and kindness; Communication – between staff and patients and between all hospital staff and primary care staff; Continuity of care.

Competition – this government is wedded to competition within the NHS and so the next will be, of whatever colour. To contest this with governments with large majorities is unrealistic. We must fight to make competition fair and open to NHS staff so they can win contracts and keep services in the NHS.

Foundation trust status – for all NHS provider organisations, including GP, hospital and mental health services.

Foundation trusts can keep their own surpluses and have greater independence from higher authorities and greater public and patient involvement through their membership. Savings could be put into quality awards or other locally agreed priorities.

Health care rationing – the NHS cannot afford everything and this has to be faced with an open, public debate on what services the NHS must provide for everyone.

Accelerating the work of NICE – this is planned in the Darzi review and must be the best method for avoiding postcode prescribing. The wider debate on rationing could release money to make more drugs available to the NHS by the NICE calculations of affordability.

Make patient and public involvement real – the new local involvement networks must be actively and meaningfully involved in health care rationing and commissioning decisions and work closely with all health trusts, commissioners and providers, and health overview and scrutiny committees.

* Richard Taylor’s column usually appears on a Thursday.