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Tories 'should be party of NHS' Tories 'should be party of NHS'
(9 minutes later)
The Conservatives have the chance to replace Labour as "the party of the NHS", Tory leader David Cameron says.The Conservatives have the chance to replace Labour as "the party of the NHS", Tory leader David Cameron says.
In a speech to mark the 60th year of the NHS later, he will pledge to "work tirelessly" in 2008 to achieve that.In a speech to mark the 60th year of the NHS later, he will pledge to "work tirelessly" in 2008 to achieve that.
And he will outline plans to tackle "superbugs", by fining hospitals per individual case, rather than for missing infection targets.And he will outline plans to tackle "superbugs", by fining hospitals per individual case, rather than for missing infection targets.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson said many of Mr Cameron's plans were already in legislation before Parliament.Health Secretary Alan Johnson said many of Mr Cameron's plans were already in legislation before Parliament.
Mr Cameron will speak after a visit to Manchester's Trafford General Hospital, which was the first to be opened as part of the newly-created NHS in 1948.Mr Cameron will speak after a visit to Manchester's Trafford General Hospital, which was the first to be opened as part of the newly-created NHS in 1948.
Earn trustEarn trust
He will say: "In this, the NHS's 60th year, the Conservative Party has an historic opportunity - to replace Labour as the party of the NHS.He will say: "In this, the NHS's 60th year, the Conservative Party has an historic opportunity - to replace Labour as the party of the NHS.
"That's quite an aspiration - but I believe it is our duty to live up to it. To be the party of the NHS is an honour that must be earned.""That's quite an aspiration - but I believe it is our duty to live up to it. To be the party of the NHS is an honour that must be earned."
He is expected to say that the Labour government has "badly mismanaged" the NHS while a Conservative administration would "properly establish the NHS as an institution" - with an NHS Constitution.He is expected to say that the Labour government has "badly mismanaged" the NHS while a Conservative administration would "properly establish the NHS as an institution" - with an NHS Constitution.
I believe that Conservatives should never attack an institution which so many of our fellow countrymen and women look to as one of the great achievements of our past David Cameron I believe that Conservatives should never attack an institution which so many of our fellow countrymen and women look to as one of the great achievements of our past David Cameron class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7168002.stm">Analysis: Cameron on NHS
Mr Cameron has long pledged to put the NHS at the top of his agenda. In his first big policy speech as Tory leader he vowed to defend the NHS and axed his party's previous proposal to subsidise patients to go private.Mr Cameron has long pledged to put the NHS at the top of his agenda. In his first big policy speech as Tory leader he vowed to defend the NHS and axed his party's previous proposal to subsidise patients to go private.
He will say: "There are many things that Conservatives would want to improve about the NHS.He will say: "There are many things that Conservatives would want to improve about the NHS.
"But, I believe that Conservatives should never attack an institution which so many of our fellow countrymen and women look to as one of the great achievements of our past."But, I believe that Conservatives should never attack an institution which so many of our fellow countrymen and women look to as one of the great achievements of our past.
"It's an institution which embodies, in its very bricks and mortar, in its people, in its services, something which is great about Britain.""It's an institution which embodies, in its very bricks and mortar, in its people, in its services, something which is great about Britain."
Fines per patientFines per patient
He will also turn his attention to tackling the thousands of cases of MRSA and Clostridium difficile in English hospitals.He will also turn his attention to tackling the thousands of cases of MRSA and Clostridium difficile in English hospitals.
He will say targets for C Difficile are too broad and do not penalise hospitals for individual cases.He will say targets for C Difficile are too broad and do not penalise hospitals for individual cases.
The Tories say infection targets are not effectiveThe Tories say infection targets are not effective
Instead he will outline plans for hospitals to lose part of their tariff for each patient, if that patient becomes infected as "a means of hard-wiring infection control into the system".Instead he will outline plans for hospitals to lose part of their tariff for each patient, if that patient becomes infected as "a means of hard-wiring infection control into the system".
Under the plan, fines would be set by the economic regulator Monitor.Under the plan, fines would be set by the economic regulator Monitor.
But health secretary Mr Johnson said Mr Cameron was proposing something that was already in legislation before Parliament.But health secretary Mr Johnson said Mr Cameron was proposing something that was already in legislation before Parliament.
He said: "We are already taking powers to fine poor performing hospitals, with the pledge to reinvest that money back into the local NHS."He said: "We are already taking powers to fine poor performing hospitals, with the pledge to reinvest that money back into the local NHS."
He said scrapping government infection targets would encourage the NHS "to take its eye off the ball".He said scrapping government infection targets would encourage the NHS "to take its eye off the ball".
In October, the government announced that a new regulator, the Care Quality Commission, would be set up with the power to fine hospitals over infections.In October, the government announced that a new regulator, the Care Quality Commission, would be set up with the power to fine hospitals over infections.
It has also promised to introduce greater powers for matrons to order extra cleaning on their wards, and pledged that every hospital would undergo a "deep clean" within a year.It has also promised to introduce greater powers for matrons to order extra cleaning on their wards, and pledged that every hospital would undergo a "deep clean" within a year.