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BMA Response To Conservative Party Health
Plans, UK
22
June 2007
The BMA is pleased that its call to value NHS staff and
engage with health professionals and patients has figured highly in the
Conservative party health proposals. Commenting on the Conservative pledge
for an 'independent NHS', Dr Jonathan Fielden, Chairman of the BMA's
Consultants' Committee, said:
"The BMA has called to remove political meddling from the NHS; an
independent board is a key element to this. We recently launched our
"Rational Way Forward" for the health service and forming an NHS Board of
Governors to oversee the NHS was very much part of our vision. The Board
would be responsible for the day to day running of the health service while
parliament would decide the high-order questions around setting NHS
priorities and funding.
"However we are concerned at the continued emphasis on a "social market" and
enhancement of the purchaser-provider split. Many of these issues will come
up for debate amongst our members at next week's annual conference."
Commenting on the specific issue of GP services, Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman
of the BMA's GPs Committee said:
"GPs' income is already linked to the success of the treatment they provide
and to patient satisfaction through the new contract's Quality and Outcomes
Framework (QOF) which acts as a mechanism for performance related pay. The
QOF requires practices to carry out patient satisfaction surveys and act on
the results. Treatments given to patients are rooted in evidence-based
medicine. In addition to QOF , GPs can secure resources for their practices
by taking part in nationally agreed enhanced services which rewards them for
achieving high satisfaction ratings from their patients on access.
"We would have to be convinced of the need to extend this process of
performance related pay any further and be assured it was fair and based on
sound evidence of benefit to patients."
The BMA will study the Conservative Party proposals in detail before
responding fully.
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