Government to &#39;pause, listen, reflect and improve&#39; NHS reform plans

David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Andrew Lansley launch two-month 'listening exercise' on plans to reform the health service, but warn 'no change is not an option'

David Cameron and Nick Clegg have cast the government's listening exercise on the NHS as an opportunity to "pause, listen, reflect and improve" the NHS modernisation plans but warned: "No change is not an option."

Amid mounting criticism of the coalition's controversial NHS reforms, the prime minister stressed that modernisation was "essential" but conceded that NHS workers needed to be "really on board" in order to make the plans work.

Clegg, who is under pressure from his own party over the details of the reform, stressed that he cared "more about getting this right than just getting it done" and insisted that the plans would not lead to creeping privatisation of the health service as some feared.

Speaking at the launch of the government's two-month listening exercise, which was also attended by the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, the prime minister led the launch at Frimley Park hospital in Surrey, telling NHS staff: "We want to work with you, not against you."

He added: "We will listen, and we will make any necessary changes."

The trinity of ministers took turns to spell out the need for reform amid fears that Lansley's failure to explain the reforms has provoked a damaging backlash among voters and NHS staff.

Describing himself as "passionate" about the NHS, Cameron said it was Britain's "most precious national asset" and that he as prime minister had no intention of putting it at risk.

But he stressed that "no change" was not an option in light of the two-pronged pressures to make it a more effective health service and to prepare for the demographic changes.

He said hundreds more lives could be saved every week if the NHS was performing at world class level, claiming that about 5,000 more lives could be saved from cancer every year, as well as an extra 2,000 from respiratory diseases, as a result of the reforms.

The other reason for modernisation was that the number of people aged over 85 was set to double in the next 20 years while the cost of advances in treatments and medicines was adding �600m of extra funding pressure every year.

"Pumping in a bit more money and sticking with the status quo is not going to work," Cameron said.

Lansley was forced to take the rare step on Monday of making a statement to MPs, during the middle of a passage of a bill through parliament, to announce that the government would "pause" proceedings to listen to people's concerns.

Cameron told NHS workers that this offered a "natural break" before the legislation reaches its final stages in parliament.

"We are taking this time to pause, to listen, to reflect and to improve our NHS modernisation plans.

"Let me be clear: this is a genuine chance to make a difference. Where there are good suggestions to improve the legislation, to improve the changes, those changes will be made.

"But let me equally be clear: the status quo is not an option. Modernisation is not just a good idea to save money and build a better health service. It is in my view essential for a better NHS for our future."

Many critics, including unions and patient groups, are opposed to major parts of the bill, particularly the increased role for the private sector. Other concerns relate to the accountability of GP-led consortiums.

Clegg echoed Cameron on the need to modernise, while admitting that the "unusual" step of reflecting again on the plans showed that government had not got every detail right.

He said that while the NHS could not "stand still", the coalition would not "mess around with the basic principle" underpinning the service.

Addressing some of the concerns, Clegg said on the issue of accountability: "It's right that family doctors are in the driving seat; they know their patients best. But there have to be safeguards. And there will be.

"Proper transparency, proper scrutiny and proper involvement of patients, other health professionals and local leaders. And that's something we take very seriously."

On privatisation, Clegg went on to say that charities, social enterprises and the private sector had been used in providing care in the NHS ever since it was founded.

"While we say yes to strengthen that role, we say no to allowing private companies to cherry-pick services, so undermining hospitals.

"We say yes to a family doctor choosing a nurse's co-op to visit you in your home, we say no to a US-style healthcare system where they check your credit card before they check your pulse.

"Yes to patient choice, no to selling the NHS off to the highest bidder."

H�l�ne Mulholland

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