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Milburn calls amended NHS plans 'a car crash' Milburn calls amended NHS plans 'a car crash'
(about 2 hours later)
The coalition's amended plans for the NHS in England are the "biggest car crash" in the service's history, an-ex Labour health secretary has said.The coalition's amended plans for the NHS in England are the "biggest car crash" in the service's history, an-ex Labour health secretary has said.
Ex-MP Alan Milburn, now David Cameron's social mobility adviser, said taxpayers faced writing "a very large cheque" as efficiency savings were unachievable. Alan Milburn href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8578022/David-Camerons-NHS-reforms-are-now-a-car-crash-says-Alan-Milburn.html" >told the Daily Telegraph the changes were being driven by "short-term politics" and would leave the NHS more financially stretched.
href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8578022/David-Camerons-NHS-reforms-are-now-a-car-crash-says-Alan-Milburn.html" >He told the Daily Telegraph the changes were "short-term politics". He also warned Labour against opposing "progressive reform" of the NHS.
But the man who headed the government's consultation on the shake-up said Mr Milburn was wrong. But the man who headed a review of the government's NHS shake-up said Mr Milburn was wrong.
The concessions were recommended by an independent panel of experts, the NHS Future Forum, and the body's head, Professor Steve Field, criticised Mr Milburn's remarks. An independent panel of experts, the NHS Future Forum, recommended a series of changes, including more controls on competition and a slower pace of change, following criticism of the government's original plans from Lib Dem MPs and unions.
"He is wrong and it is time for politicians to get out of the NHS and give us some space to actually get on and run the service," he told the health select committee.
"I would like to see the bill passed as quickly as possible, amended to make it work."
The government is to make major concessions to its plans for the NHS in England, including more controls on competition and a slower pace of change, after criticism from Lib Dem MPs and unions.
'Less reformist''Less reformist'
Mr Milburn, who as health secretary under Tony Blair came into conflict with then Chancellor Gordon Brown over health services, wrote: "The government's health reforms are the biggest car crash in NHS history. Mr Milburn, who as health secretary under Tony Blair came into conflict with then Chancellor Gordon Brown over greater financial freedom for hospitals, criticised David Cameron and Nick Clegg for their handling of the process.
"The temptation to elevate short-term politics above long-term policy proved too much for both David Cameron and Nick Clegg.
An attack of this nature might be expected from a former Labour minister, but Alan Milburn has credentials as a reformer himself.An attack of this nature might be expected from a former Labour minister, but Alan Milburn has credentials as a reformer himself.
As health secretary a decade ago, he increased competition within the NHS. More recently, the coalition government appointed him to review their progress on improving social mobility.As health secretary a decade ago, he increased competition within the NHS. More recently, the coalition government appointed him to review their progress on improving social mobility.
So when he sticks the knife into David Cameron by saying he has set back radical, market-based reform of the NHS for a generation, he intends to wound.So when he sticks the knife into David Cameron by saying he has set back radical, market-based reform of the NHS for a generation, he intends to wound.
Government sources say Alan Milburn himself failed to deliver sufficient reform and that many professional bodies support the coalition's evolutionary approach to changing the NHS.Government sources say Alan Milburn himself failed to deliver sufficient reform and that many professional bodies support the coalition's evolutionary approach to changing the NHS.
"Many in both camps inside the coalition consider the U-turn a triumph. But it has the makings of a policy disaster for the NHS and, maybe in time, a political disaster for the government." "Many in both camps inside the coalition consider the U-turn a triumph," he said. "But it has the makings of a policy disaster for the NHS and, maybe in time, a political disaster for the government."
While reform was a "constant necessity" in the NHS, Mr Milburn said its cause had been set back by weaknesses in Health Secretary Andrew Lansley's original blueprint, which he described as a "foolish bout of policy-wonking".
He added: "The promise of the coalition was that it would go where New Labour feared to tread when it came to public service reform. There would be no no-go areas.He added: "The promise of the coalition was that it would go where New Labour feared to tread when it came to public service reform. There would be no no-go areas.
"In fact David Cameron's retreat has taken his party to a far less reformist and more protectionist position than that adopted by Tony Blair and even that of his predecessor Gordon Brown.""In fact David Cameron's retreat has taken his party to a far less reformist and more protectionist position than that adopted by Tony Blair and even that of his predecessor Gordon Brown."
Mr Milburn described the new policy as the "biggest nationalisation since Nye Bevan created the NHS in 1948" and said overall control had been handed to a body - the NHS Commissioning Board - which he described as "the daddy of all quangos". He described the new policy as the "biggest nationalisation" since the NHS was created in 1948 and said overall control had been handed to a body - the NHS Commissioning Board - which was "the daddy of all quangos".
Mr Milburn, who left Parliament at the 2010 election, said scrapping the 2013 deadline for giving GP consortia control of commissioning would result in a "patchwork of decision-making for years to come".Mr Milburn, who left Parliament at the 2010 election, said scrapping the 2013 deadline for giving GP consortia control of commissioning would result in a "patchwork of decision-making for years to come".
'Open goal''Open goal'
On the need to make £20bn in efficiency savings, he said it would fall to the taxpayer to pick up the bill.On the need to make £20bn in efficiency savings, he said it would fall to the taxpayer to pick up the bill.
"It was precisely the situation David Cameron and George Osborne were trying to avoid. Sorry George, but the cash you were saving in your pre-election Budget for tax cuts will now have to be spent on a bail-out for the health service.""It was precisely the situation David Cameron and George Osborne were trying to avoid. Sorry George, but the cash you were saving in your pre-election Budget for tax cuts will now have to be spent on a bail-out for the health service."
He described the current situation regarding public service reform as "an open goal for Ed Miliband's Labour Party" but warned the leadership about its own reaction to the NHS climbdown.He described the current situation regarding public service reform as "an open goal for Ed Miliband's Labour Party" but warned the leadership about its own reaction to the NHS climbdown.
He added: "The temptation, of course, is for Labour to retreat to the comfort zone of public sector producer-interest protectionism - and there were signs of that in the party's response to the government's U-turn this week.He added: "The temptation, of course, is for Labour to retreat to the comfort zone of public sector producer-interest protectionism - and there were signs of that in the party's response to the government's U-turn this week.
"It would be unwise, in my view, for Labour to concede rather than contest the reform territory. It now has an opportunity to restake its claim to be the party of progressive, radical reform.""It would be unwise, in my view, for Labour to concede rather than contest the reform territory. It now has an opportunity to restake its claim to be the party of progressive, radical reform."
'Necessary evolution'
The head of the NHS Future Forum, which examined the government's plans as part of its recent "listening exercise", criticised Mr Milburn's remarks.
"He is wrong and it is time for politicians to get out of the NHS and give us some space to actually get on and run the service," Professor Steve Field told the health select committee.
"I would like to see the bill passed as quickly as possible, amended to make it work."
A government source said: "Eight years ago Alan Milburn tried to reform the NHS but failed to deliver the progress necessary because he was blocked by Gordon Brown.A government source said: "Eight years ago Alan Milburn tried to reform the NHS but failed to deliver the progress necessary because he was blocked by Gordon Brown.
"Other former Labour health ministers - and many professional bodies - support these reforms as a necessary evolution. We can't afford to miss another opportunity to improve the NHS.""Other former Labour health ministers - and many professional bodies - support these reforms as a necessary evolution. We can't afford to miss another opportunity to improve the NHS."