Royal College of GPs speak out against NHS reforms

Royal college of GPS speak out against the NHS reforms

Newly elected Chair of the Royal College of GPs – Dr Clare Gereda – has spoken out strongly against the proposed NHS reforms.  She has argued against the rapid pace of change dismantling current commissioning structures and placing responsibility with GP consortium. Downgrading the role of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence will lead to local variations about the range of treatments available – and will undermine the NHS as a national unified service. GPs will face a conflict of interest in making individual clinical decisions at the same time as having ultimate responsibility for the rationing of NHS resources.   Gereda argues that the new system will lead to an increased role for private healthcare companies.

Her views are echoed by the Kings Fund health think tank  - whose Chief Exec.  Prof. Chris Ham made the following statement;

“ with international evidence this week showing our health system performing well compared to other countries , and the NHS facing financial pressures over the next few years, evolutionary change building on existing arrangements offers a more promising route to improving the NHS than radical structural changes”.

Afghanistan

The Guardian reports that the US are escalating the assault on the Taliban in a shift from the previous policy that laid a heavy emphasis on protecting civilians. A further greater number of bombs and missiles are being used now by NATO forces, as well as plans to deploy a greater number of tanks – which will have the capacity to destroy buildings more than a mile away.   It is reported that American troops are now routinely destroying buildings that might have strategic advantage for the Taliban e.g to provide shelter for attack or hide roadside bombs.  Fears that the new approach will greatly increase civilian casualties have led to protests by the afghan government, and both Afghan and international NGO’s including Oxfam.  With this approach coinciding with the announcement of  plans for withdrawal by 2015 it is hard to see how Afghan citizens are going to be encouraged to ally themselves with the NATO forces – who are a) killing them in increasing numbers and destroying their houses and b) not going to stick around to protect anyone who might take their side now. Whatever our reservations the sooner the US and UK start talks with the Taliban the better.