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David Cameron: My 'five guarantees' on future of NHS David Cameron to pledge NHS 'guarantees'
(about 3 hours later)
  
David Cameron will set out "five guarantees" for the NHS in England in his latest speech aimed at winning support for his health reforms.David Cameron will set out "five guarantees" for the NHS in England in his latest speech aimed at winning support for his health reforms.
The PM's pledges include increasing NHS spending and waiting times "kept low".The PM's pledges include increasing NHS spending and waiting times "kept low".
He will say the NHS shake-up is needed to stop the service "buckling" under pressures like an ageing population.He will say the NHS shake-up is needed to stop the service "buckling" under pressures like an ageing population.
But Labour's John Healey said it was "wasting nearly £2bn" on the shake-up, which would make it harder for the NHS to meet future challenges. But Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Cameron was in "a panic" and had "botched" his NHS plans which would divert money from patient care.
Ministers are awaiting the findings of the Future Forum, which is leading a consultation exercise on the controversial plans for the NHS in England. The group is expected to report to the cabinet next week.Ministers are awaiting the findings of the Future Forum, which is leading a consultation exercise on the controversial plans for the NHS in England. The group is expected to report to the cabinet next week.
'Learned a lot''Learned a lot'
Plans to give GPs more commissioning powers , increase competition in the NHS and abolish primary care trusts have been criticised by medical professionals and are on hold, pending the results of the "listening exercise".Plans to give GPs more commissioning powers , increase competition in the NHS and abolish primary care trusts have been criticised by medical professionals and are on hold, pending the results of the "listening exercise".
In the latest of a series of speeches aimed at reassuring people about the NHS shake-up, Mr Cameron is expected to say that ministers have "learned a lot about how to make our plans better" during the two-month consultation.In the latest of a series of speeches aimed at reassuring people about the NHS shake-up, Mr Cameron is expected to say that ministers have "learned a lot about how to make our plans better" during the two-month consultation.
He will restate the government's case for modernising the health service - plans which have caused tension between Conservative and Lib Dem partners - saying that, if no action is taken, the NHS could "buckle under the pressure of an ageing population and the rising cost of treatments".He will restate the government's case for modernising the health service - plans which have caused tension between Conservative and Lib Dem partners - saying that, if no action is taken, the NHS could "buckle under the pressure of an ageing population and the rising cost of treatments".
But, promising to get patients and NHS professionals on board with the plans, he will outline "five guarantees" about the future shape of the NHS.But, promising to get patients and NHS professionals on board with the plans, he will outline "five guarantees" about the future shape of the NHS.
He is set to say:He is set to say:
  • The NHS will remain a universal service
  • Changes will improve "efficient and integrated care" not hinder it
  • Hospital waiting times will be "kept low"
  • NHS spending will be increased, not reduced
  • The NHS will not be sold off and competition will benefit patients
  • The NHS will remain a universal service
  • Changes will improve "efficient and integrated care" not hinder it
  • Hospital waiting times will be "kept low"
  • NHS spending will be increased, not reduced
  • The NHS will not be sold off and competition will benefit patients
"We will modernise the NHS - because changing the NHS today is the only way to protect the NHS for tomorrow," he will say."We will modernise the NHS - because changing the NHS today is the only way to protect the NHS for tomorrow," he will say.
"We will stick by our core principle of an NHS that is more efficient, more transparent and more diverse... But I will make sure at all times that any of the changes we make to the NHS will always be consistent with upholding these five guarantees."We will stick by our core principle of an NHS that is more efficient, more transparent and more diverse... But I will make sure at all times that any of the changes we make to the NHS will always be consistent with upholding these five guarantees.
The prime minister has deliberately chosen to make the furore over the NHS bill an issue of trust.The prime minister has deliberately chosen to make the furore over the NHS bill an issue of trust.
No longer is it simply about the nuts and bolts of NHS reform.No longer is it simply about the nuts and bolts of NHS reform.
Instead the prime minister has issued five "guarantees" on the future of the service for which he says he can be held "personally accountable".Instead the prime minister has issued five "guarantees" on the future of the service for which he says he can be held "personally accountable".
The hope is that by issuing this sort of personal pledge he can overcome the widespread doubts among health professionals and the electorate about the reforms.The hope is that by issuing this sort of personal pledge he can overcome the widespread doubts among health professionals and the electorate about the reforms.
His problem is that however convinced voters may be by Mr Cameron's support for the NHS, all the evidence suggests they still harbour a large slab of scepticism about his party's attitude towards the health service.His problem is that however convinced voters may be by Mr Cameron's support for the NHS, all the evidence suggests they still harbour a large slab of scepticism about his party's attitude towards the health service.
"There can be no compromise on this. It is what patients expect. It is what doctors and nurses want. And it is what this government will deliver.""There can be no compromise on this. It is what patients expect. It is what doctors and nurses want. And it is what this government will deliver."
Ministers have already conceded there will be substantial changes to the Health and Social Care Bill as a result of the consultation but Labour, and the doctors' body the British Medical Association, have called for the legislation to be scrapped entirely.Ministers have already conceded there will be substantial changes to the Health and Social Care Bill as a result of the consultation but Labour, and the doctors' body the British Medical Association, have called for the legislation to be scrapped entirely.
Shadow Health Secretary John Healey told the BBC that on "each and every one" of the five pledges, the government's NHS bill was "doing exactly the opposite" and accused the government of being driven by a view that the "private sector is good and the public sector is bad". At a press conference on Tuesday, Labour leader Mr Miliband said the proposed NHS shake-up would divert hundreds of millions of pounds away from patient care, at a time the NHS was being asked to find £20bn savings.
He said: "The worst thing is wasting nearly £2bn, as the government is this year on a big internal reorganisation they promised not to do, and make it harder not easier for the NHS in the future to meet the sort of challenges it faces." "I think the reason why the prime minister is in such a panic over the National Health Service is because he knows that this is total breach of the promises he made at the election. He promised no top-down reorganisations, he went to nurses' conferences and promised that and now he's doing the opposite... in the most cack-handed way.
He accused the government of making real terms cuts to NHS funding and said waiting times were starting to rise: "If he's going to keep his word on these guarantees and pledges today, then he's really got to scrap the bill as it stands and he has got to make fundamental changes to his NHS plans." "My worry about this so-called NHS plan is it's going to go from a bad plan to a mismanaged plan."
The BBC understands the Future Forum report will be delivered to Cabinet either next Monday or Tuesday. Ministers could decide to delay the whole bill further by sending it back to its committee stage in the Commons for further scrutiny.The BBC understands the Future Forum report will be delivered to Cabinet either next Monday or Tuesday. Ministers could decide to delay the whole bill further by sending it back to its committee stage in the Commons for further scrutiny.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has suggested such an outcome was likely - but it is understood ministers will consider the report in full before making a decision. The Department of Health says 8,000 people took part in 250 events, 2,400 public comments were submitted via a government website and 970 comments were submitted privately.
Mr Clegg has also said he will oppose the idea of a regulator promoting competition in the health service, seemingly put him at odds with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley - the architect of the proposed reforms. Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said he will oppose the idea of a regulator promoting competition in the health service, seemingly put him at odds with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley - the architect of the proposed reforms.