This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30670633
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Labour: NHS would be left 'unrecognisable' under Tories | Labour: NHS would be left 'unrecognisable' under Tories |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The NHS in England will be left "unrecognisable" if the Conservatives are in government after the general election, Labour has claimed. | The NHS in England will be left "unrecognisable" if the Conservatives are in government after the general election, Labour has claimed. |
| In a "start of the race" note to activists, Labour's election strategy chief Douglas Alexander calls for a campaign to "save" the health service. | In a "start of the race" note to activists, Labour's election strategy chief Douglas Alexander calls for a campaign to "save" the health service. |
| The document claims waiting time rules have been breached and says there is a "staffing crisis" in the NHS. | The document claims waiting time rules have been breached and says there is a "staffing crisis" in the NHS. |
| Meanwhile, the Tories have targeted Labour over cutting the deficit. | Meanwhile, the Tories have targeted Labour over cutting the deficit. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron said Labour would spend an extra £13.5bn on debt interest because of a reluctance to cut spending as quickly as his party would. | |
| 'Future risks' | 'Future risks' |
| In an interview with The Sunday Times, he said: "There is nothing caring about the risks Labour would take with the economy and all our futures." | In an interview with The Sunday Times, he said: "There is nothing caring about the risks Labour would take with the economy and all our futures." |
| But Labour said the figures were based on "false assumptions and out-of-date economic forecasts". | But Labour said the figures were based on "false assumptions and out-of-date economic forecasts". |
| BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said general election campaigning was stepping up, with MPs returning to the House of Commons on Monday. | BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said general election campaigning was stepping up, with MPs returning to the House of Commons on Monday. |
| In the Labour document on the NHS, the party claimed seven of out 15 patients' rights enshrined in the health service's constitution have been breached. | In the Labour document on the NHS, the party claimed seven of out 15 patients' rights enshrined in the health service's constitution have been breached. |
| They include maximum waiting times of four hours at accident and emergency, 62 days for cancer treatment, and six weeks for diagnostic tests. | They include maximum waiting times of four hours at accident and emergency, 62 days for cancer treatment, and six weeks for diagnostic tests. |
| The party also claimed it had become harder to book a doctor's appointment. | The party also claimed it had become harder to book a doctor's appointment. |
| It argued the problem could get worse if "service standards continue to decline" under a Conservative government, with waiting lists reaching four million. | It argued the problem could get worse if "service standards continue to decline" under a Conservative government, with waiting lists reaching four million. |
| Almost two million patients would need to wait more than four hours at A&E, there would be longer ambulance response times and 20 million people would have to wait a week or longer for a GP appointment, the party warned. | Almost two million patients would need to wait more than four hours at A&E, there would be longer ambulance response times and 20 million people would have to wait a week or longer for a GP appointment, the party warned. |
| 'Ever-longer waits' | 'Ever-longer waits' |
| Mr Alexander said: "A Tory second term would put us on course for ever-longer waits for patients because they have no plan to give the NHS the cash it needs and want to take public spending back to 1930s levels. | Mr Alexander said: "A Tory second term would put us on course for ever-longer waits for patients because they have no plan to give the NHS the cash it needs and want to take public spending back to 1930s levels. |
| "And another five years of this rotten government could put us on course for a doubling of the scale of privatisation as competition is put before patient care." | "And another five years of this rotten government could put us on course for a doubling of the scale of privatisation as competition is put before patient care." |
| A Conservative spokesman disputed Labour's figures and said Labour leader Ed Miliband's lack of an economic plan "would put the entire NHS at risk." | A Conservative spokesman disputed Labour's figures and said Labour leader Ed Miliband's lack of an economic plan "would put the entire NHS at risk." |
| He added: "We can only have a strong NHS by staying on the road to a stronger economy." | He added: "We can only have a strong NHS by staying on the road to a stronger economy." |