Try the editorial in the British Medical Journal on 22 January 2011:

“What do you call a government that embarks on the biggest upheaval of the NHS in its 63 year history, at breakneck speed, while simultaneously trying to make unprecedented financial savings? The politically correct answer has got to be: mad.”
http://www.hospitaldr.co.uk/features/nhs-reform-too-soon-to-let-it-out-of-the-lab

“editorial in the British Medical Journal ”

I’m sure worstall will be along shortly to explain how the BMJ are just being economically illiterate, and there is nothing to worry about.

Indeed, and the sheer incompetence of Lansley is breathtaking.

In 2008 he formulated a plan which can be be described as “New Labour’s but nastier”. Key to this plan was that there would be lots of NHS money than could be handed over to the private sector. Then when events changed (money got scarce) Lansley adjusted bits, when a re-write was needed (for those who want to know, he came up with the evidence-less idea that management could be cut by a third, he should have concentrated on removing expensive outsourcing to the private sector and relying solely on value-for-money NHS providers).

Then when he got into Richmond House (on a lie and without a mandate, like the rest of this Tory government) the DH basically told him that he couldn’t do what he wanted to do, it would not work, would be too expensive and patients would suffer. That was when the idea of abolishing PCTs and SHAs was formulated – it was an off the top of the head solution to getting the management cut he had promised. (His original plan was “to prevent organisational upheaval we will retain SHAs/PCTs” we are now seeing the organisational upheaval that his policy had predicted in 2008).

The “liberation” that was promised in the White Paper has now been replaced with centralism. Whereas 80% of NHS money was spent by PCTs, now just 60% wioll be spent by CCGs the rest going to the new quango. Anyone remember Cameron promising he would cut quangos? Well, we have a Leviathan of a quango in the NHS Commissioning Board. GPs are not going to do commissioning. Instead it will be private companies who will decide which hospitals you will be allowed to use. Your GP will not be allowed to refer you to a local NHS hospital if the private sector company contracted to provide commissioning says that the hospital is not available. In fact, it is getting less likely that GPs will be able to refer now that Referral Management Centres are being set up, where untrained bureaucrats will override GPs decisions based on finance rather than medical need.

Over the last 18 months, bit-by-bit of his original plan has been mutilated so now the mess that is call the Health and Social Care Bill shows little resemblance to his pre-election plans. Lansley is truly the most incompetent minister in this government.

Typical cobblers from lefties.

Brown himself in his manifesto promised 20 billion savings in the NHS and promised increased pace of reform. Read it.

He did not promise to ring fence the NHS either. darlings budget promised ciuts in real terms.

And answer this – if Brown felt he could cut 20 billion from the NHS – why did he spend it in the first place?

@4: “Brown himself in his manifesto promised 20 billion savings in the NHS and promised increased pace of reform. Read it.”

The point of that editorial in the BMJ on 22 January 2011 was that is madness to demand savings of the NHS, in the order of £20bn, while simultaneously subjecting the NHS to a massive reorganisation, which the BMJ has estimated will cost from £2bn to £3bn:
http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c3843.full

A few days ago, the Telegraph reported:

Thousands left for a year on ‘hidden’ NHS waiting lists – Quarter of a million NHS patients are still waiting more than a year to be treated, ministers have admitted, as a new drive to force managers to tackle the ‘scandal’ was launched.

In October, the Telegraph reported:

Elderly patients condemned to early death by secret use of do not resuscitate orders
Elderly patients are being condemned to an early death by hospitals making secret use of “do not resuscitate” orders, an investigation has found – link available.

Readers of my earlier posts probably thought it was just a sick joke when I suggested a modest investment in a national network of Harold Shipman Centres could help Osborne to cut the budget deficit. Evidently, that investment is unnecessary. DNR orders work fine.

Re: the NHS Bill; its not too late to stop it. If we get 100,000 signatures we can force the issue back to Parliament again, which will delay it again, and potentially cripple it.

If you oppose the government on this, take a moment to sign the petition below, and pass it on.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22670

@4 – Is THAT your current excuse for the doubling of NHS admin costs, to allow for private companies to syphon off profits. Can’t be spending on that “healthcare” thing, after all.

Also, funny you chose a word which is associated with a reputable trade, whereas your banker friends…

There’s still time to stop the government’s health bill. If we get 100,000 on the government website Parliament will have to debate it again, a crucial delay which could still cripple it. Everyone should get behind this petition: take a minute to sign it and pass it on

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22670

Is this one of those ‘questions to which the answer is no’?