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Debate on future of NHS must involve all parties
Open letter to Camden PCT chairman Dr John Carrier
• Dear Dr Carrier,
SURELY you must be aware of random sampling to poll public opinion of any kind?
How is it then that you are getting a panel of Camden people together (Public quizzed on health reforms, October 2) excluding all those members of the public who have questions about the plan of tendering GP services to commercial companies whose obvious main (and legitimate aim) is to make profits for their company and shareholders, which inevitably alters the way in which GP services can be delivered.
You state that all members of political parties will be excluded, presumably you therefore exclude our campaign group which is made up of people from all political parties and none who are concerned about what is happening to the NHS. Moreover there is scepticism about your plans across the political parties in Camden – will you exclude all of them?
The question of who benefits financially from the takeover of surgeries and polyclinics has never been posed, and many citizens are still unaware of this crucial issue, since it is never mentioned. There is no doubt everyone would like longer opening hours and “easier access”, but the building of polyclinics or the relocation of surgeries into hospitals actually has the opposite effect. At present surgeries are within walking distance for most patients.
I am no veteran campaigner, but a patient at Camden Road, which lost two excellent doctors in quick succession after the surgery was taken over by UnitedHealth, and is perhaps about to lose another one of the permanent GPs.
I was not consulted about the takeover of the surgery, but was merely informed in January this year that it would be happening in April.
In early March, just before the takeover, I offered every patient who walked into the surgery on three successive mornings my own petition, asking everyone whether they wanted the contract to be awarded to UnitedHealth or the doctors who were working at the surgery.
Every one (90 patients in all) signed against the takeover. None of them remembered getting a letter the previous year which was supposed to have been sent to everyone.
As a result a campaign group was formed; not to stop polyclinics (they may be a very good idea especially in under-doctored areas), but to stop commercial firms from taking over the NHS.
By excluding my fellow patients, and all those who question or disagree with your plans you will be making quite sure of a totally biased sample.
In other words your exercise in so-called consultation has predetermined your desired result.
Moreover since at the last health scrutiny meeting your PCT colleagues told council officers that you had to wait for decisions to be made before you could give them a date when your three-months consultation would take place, it confirms that you have no intention of actually consulting anyone; but instead are wasting even more public money on an exercise whose outcome you have already arranged.
The new NHS constitution states: “The NHS belongs to the people and the NHS constitution needs to belong to the people as well. This means consulting widely and deeply with patients, staff and the public on our proposals for the constitution. Constitutional arrangements are strong and enduring only where they enjoy popular democratic support. The government wishes to engage everyone in the debate.”
RUTH INGRAM
Camden Mews, NW1
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