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| Doctors call for a halt to the overhaul of the NHS | Doctors call for a halt to the overhaul of the NHS |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Nick Triggle and Jane Hughes BBC News | |
| Doctors have called on the government to put a halt to its overhaul of the NHS in England. | Doctors have called on the government to put a halt to its overhaul of the NHS in England. |
| Delegates at an emergency meeting of the British Medical Association voted in favour of calling for ministers to withdraw the health bill. | Delegates at an emergency meeting of the British Medical Association voted in favour of calling for ministers to withdraw the health bill. |
| The bill, which is going through parliament, paves the way for increased competition in the NHS - something the union said was "dangerous and risky". | The bill, which is going through parliament, paves the way for increased competition in the NHS - something the union said was "dangerous and risky". |
| But the government said the BMA should be trying to be more constructive. | But the government said the BMA should be trying to be more constructive. |
| The emergency meeting - the first of its kind for nearly 20 years - has been called by the BMA leadership after concerns from its grassroots membership about the plans. | The emergency meeting - the first of its kind for nearly 20 years - has been called by the BMA leadership after concerns from its grassroots membership about the plans. |
| The motion voted on says withdrawing the health bill is needed so that the controversial and more radical elements of the legislation can be considered again. | The motion voted on says withdrawing the health bill is needed so that the controversial and more radical elements of the legislation can be considered again. |
| A series of other critical motions are also being debated, including one calling on Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to resign. But even if delegates vote in favour of them it does not necessarily mean it becomes official policy of the union. | A series of other critical motions are also being debated, including one calling on Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to resign. But even if delegates vote in favour of them it does not necessarily mean it becomes official policy of the union. |
| The BMA leadership will meet on Wednesday to decide how to proceed. | The BMA leadership will meet on Wednesday to decide how to proceed. |
| Fears | Fears |
| The union fears increased competition from the private sector could harm hospitals, perhaps even forcing some to close. | The union fears increased competition from the private sector could harm hospitals, perhaps even forcing some to close. |
| BMA leader Dr Hamish Meldrum said he would rather see the NHS as the preferred provider instead of having a level playing field with the big health companies. | BMA leader Dr Hamish Meldrum said he would rather see the NHS as the preferred provider instead of having a level playing field with the big health companies. |
| He told the BBC it was now time to be "ratcheting up" the concerns. | He told the BBC it was now time to be "ratcheting up" the concerns. |
| He said this had not been done before as the full details only recently emerged when the government published the health bill earlier this year. | He said this had not been done before as the full details only recently emerged when the government published the health bill earlier this year. |
| "We want to put more pressure on the government to change what are flawed and very risky proposals for the NHS," he said. | "We want to put more pressure on the government to change what are flawed and very risky proposals for the NHS," he said. |
| More than 300 doctors attended the meeting with many supporting Dr Meldrum's stance. | |
| Dr Layla Jader, a public health physician, said: "The NHS needs evolution not revolution - these reforms are very threatening to the future of the NHS. If they go through, our children will look back and say how could you allow this to happen?" | Dr Layla Jader, a public health physician, said: "The NHS needs evolution not revolution - these reforms are very threatening to the future of the NHS. If they go through, our children will look back and say how could you allow this to happen?" |
| And Dr Barry Miller, an anaethetist from Bolton, added: "The potential to do phenomenal damage is profound. I haven't seen any evidence these proposals will improve healthcare in the long-term." | And Dr Barry Miller, an anaethetist from Bolton, added: "The potential to do phenomenal damage is profound. I haven't seen any evidence these proposals will improve healthcare in the long-term." |
| The meeting comes after Liberal Democrat delegates rejected the plans at the party's spring conference last weekend. | The meeting comes after Liberal Democrat delegates rejected the plans at the party's spring conference last weekend. |
| Members voted not to support a "damaging and unjustified" shake-up, which will see GPs get control of much of the NHS budget along with the scrapping of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. | Members voted not to support a "damaging and unjustified" shake-up, which will see GPs get control of much of the NHS budget along with the scrapping of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. |
| But a Department of Health spokesman said: "We are disappointed the BMA has decided to take this step rather than work constructively with us to improve services for patients. | But a Department of Health spokesman said: "We are disappointed the BMA has decided to take this step rather than work constructively with us to improve services for patients. |
| "The reality is over 5,000 GP practices, covering two thirds of the country, have already signed up and have started to implement plans to give patients better care. | "The reality is over 5,000 GP practices, covering two thirds of the country, have already signed up and have started to implement plans to give patients better care. |
| "The NHS must modernise in order to keep up with the increasing demand on services, an ageing population and rising costs of new drugs and treatments and we are passionate about ensuring high quality, efficient services for patients." | "The NHS must modernise in order to keep up with the increasing demand on services, an ageing population and rising costs of new drugs and treatments and we are passionate about ensuring high quality, efficient services for patients." |
| The debate comes on the day that a cross-party group of MPs set out the challenge facing the health service in making the savings it needs to keep pace with rising demands. | The debate comes on the day that a cross-party group of MPs set out the challenge facing the health service in making the savings it needs to keep pace with rising demands. |
| The Public Accounts Committee warned the target of finding £20bn of efficiencies by 2014 - about a 4% saving each year - could be missed unless the government reversed the falling productivity rates in the health service. | The Public Accounts Committee warned the target of finding £20bn of efficiencies by 2014 - about a 4% saving each year - could be missed unless the government reversed the falling productivity rates in the health service. |
| The MPs' report highlighted figures showing productivity had fallen by an average of 0.2% a year for the past decade, although they accepted performance was getting better thanks to increased investment in staff, equipment and buildings. | The MPs' report highlighted figures showing productivity had fallen by an average of 0.2% a year for the past decade, although they accepted performance was getting better thanks to increased investment in staff, equipment and buildings. |
| Committee chairman Margaret Hodge said: "The quality of the health service has improved as a result of this increase in spending. But the taxpayer has been getting less for each pound spent." | Committee chairman Margaret Hodge said: "The quality of the health service has improved as a result of this increase in spending. But the taxpayer has been getting less for each pound spent." |