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NHS Abolition Bill Gets Second Reading In Parliament Tomorrow

Controversial measures in the newly entitled Health and Care Bill that include giving the health secretary more powers to direct the NHS are expected to be included when the Bill enters the House of Commons tomorrow, and is given it's second reading and published.

The Bill makes US Healthcare designed Integrated Care Systems legal in the UK

Further, data protection for everyone’s private medical records is being watered down via separate legislation which will repeal the EU GDPR legislation so there is no longer a reason not to sell off access to the national medical records database to insurance companies, local authorities, private healthcare companies in the UK AND abroad!

As well as opening the NHS to the kind of corrupt contracting that has occurred under the Covid emergency regulations by removing competition and procurement rules, under Mr Hancock the Bill is expected to include controversial measures on data sharing.

The Health Service Journal last week quoted a DHSC spokesman as saying:

“Our health and care bill builds on the NHS’ own proposals for reform and [will create an NHS] which is less bureaucratic, more accountable, and more integrated in the wake of the pandemic."

“Our proposals will give the NHS more power, not less and maintain the NHS’s clinical and operational independence while ensuring the Secretary of State has appropriate oversight and accountability.”

Today's announcement was foretold by a Government press release issued earlier this afternoon:

"The Bill will ensure each part of England has an Integrated Care Board and an Integrated Care Partnership responsible for bringing together local NHS and local government, such as social care, mental health services and public health advice, to deliver joined up care for its local population.

Clinicians, carers and public health experts will be empowered to operate collaboratively across health and care, as part of plans to tackle inequalities and level up health across the country. The Bill will also introduce measures to tackle obesity and improve oral health."

Yet there is no mention of private healthcare companies sitting on these boards. That, despite the fact that Virgincare are sitting on at least one Integrated Care System (ICS) Board as reported previously by unionsafety:

Richard Branson’s Virgincare Given Seat On ICS Board Deciding On Local NHS Healthcare

The press release continues by claiming the Bill:

".. will dispose of unnecessary bureaucracy that has held the health service back so that health and care staff can focus on patients, not paperwork, and ensure the system is able to flex to changing needs in the years to come. It will ensure NHS England is more accountable to government, and by extension Parliament, while ensuring the NHS retains everyday operational and clinical oversight."

Whilst there was no mention of the Bill when Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid made a statement on Covid-19 and took questions this morning; the press release quotes him as saying:

“The astonishing response of our health and care services to the COVID-19 pandemic has hit fast-forward on some of the bold changes the NHS set out to deliver in its Long Term Plan and shone the spotlight on other areas that require change to achieve better care for our communities.

“To help meet demand, build a better health service and bust the backlog, we need to back the NHS, as it celebrates its 73rd birthday this week, and embed lessons learned from the pandemic. This will support our health and care services to be more integrated and innovative so the NHS can deliver for people in the decades to come.”

Once this bill becomes law, and in the format being proposed, it will be nigh impossible to keep track of the transfer of NHS care and services being transferred into private healthcare and private business via commercially sensitive contracts, with no public scrutiny whatsoever. It ill also be nigh impossible to reverse the complete privatisation of healthcare in England.

Webeditor Chris Ingram commented:

"Unionsafety has previously reported on the slow destruction of the NHS, the political lies, and the media complacency for the last ten years. The reality is that whilst the new proposed Bill to make the 42 Integrated Care Systems that will control all delivery of Health and Social Care, and NOT the NHS; means the total privatisation of the healthcare of everyone living in England.

This control which will include the private medical records of everyone in the country, will be in the hands of private healthcare companies in the UK and abroad, especially the USA. Further, the exact nature and specific healthcare services to be delivered in each of the 42 ICS' will be determines by the the likes of Virgincare, Certene Health, and other private healthcare companies, as well as local businesses, local authorities, and with no impunity as they are totally independent; will be determined by these ICS boards.

In effect, the NHS will be quickly removed as the healthcare provider and will merely provide A&E services.

The introduction of private healthcare insurance as in the USA will then be a stone throw away once the databank of ALL medical records in England is completed and access is then sold by NHS England to anyone willing to pay for it."

Yes, this Bill is indeed the NHS Abolition Bill - make no mistake about that!"

 

Source: HSJ / unionsafety / Gov UK

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