What happened on March 11th? Peter Roderick answers

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Peter Roderick11th March 2015 was a milestone for the campaign.
But what happened and why was it important?
We put some questions to the co-author of the NHS Reinstatement Bill, barrister Peter Roderick.

 

What happened today?
12 MPs from 5 political parties tabled the National Health Service Bill in the House Commons, based on the second version of the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

Why is that important?
It’s important because we’ve now got the Bill into Parliament with cross-party support, so it can’t be easily dismissed.

A Bill was the start of the law-making process to create the NHS, and we won’t get it back without starting that process again.

 

We can see you had fun standing around in the sunshine talking to MPs, but what was the point?
Yes it was fun and sunny, but the point was to let people see and know what was going on and to take heart that there are a lot of people who don’t accept the dismantling of the NHS and who are working seriously to reverse it.

What is the point in doing this at this stage in the parliamentary cycle, isn’t it all too late?
True, the Bill will fall at the end of March when Parliament closes down for the election campaign. But it’s a serious piece of proposed legislation which candidates can support during the election campaign – and as a marker for after the election against which to test government proposals.

MPs supporting the presentation of the NHS Bill

L to R: Eilidh Whiteford MP, Mike Weir MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Stewart Hosie MP, Andrew George MP, Angus MacNeil MP, Caroline Lucas MP, Peter Roderick and Chris Williamson MP (hidden). Pictured with campaigners and student nurses.

Which MPs were supporting you today?
The Bill was presented by Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, and supported by 11 other MPs – the maximum number allowed – here’s the list:

Andrew George, Lib Dem, St Ives
John Pugh, Lib Dem, Southport
Katy Clark, Labour, North Ayrshire and Arran
Jeremy Corbyn, Labour, Islington North
Roger Godsiff, Labour, Birmingham Sparkbrook
Kelvin Hopkins, Labour, Luton North
John McDonnell, Labour, Hayes and Harlington
Michael Meacher, Labour, Oldham West and Royton
Chris Williamson, Labour, Derby North
Eilidh Whiteford, SNP, Banff and Buchan
Hywel Williams, Plaid Cymru, Arfon

That’s just a smattering of MPs, if the mainstream Labour MPs aren’t yet backing it, what chance has the Bill got?
True, but Labour’s not monolithic, there’s an election about to happen, and mainstream today is not necessarily mainstream tomorrow – its centre of gravity won’t shift if we give a depressed shrug.

Doesn’t this Bill promote another top down re-organisation?
I am sensitive to these genuine concerns, but the 2012 Act was a dismantling, not a reorganisation. The evidence of disorganisation, fragmentation and incoherence is already mounting. We want to put the NHS back together again based on its founding principles, and we’re proposing to do it with a new locally-led, bottom-up approach with the Secretary of State’s oversight to make sure it works throughout England.

You can support the campaign by asking your MP and prospective parliamentary candidates whether they would back an NHS Reinstatement Bill to be in the next Queen’s Speech.

Take action here.

John Pugh MP backs the NHS Reinstatement Bill

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John Pugh, the Liberal Democrat MP for Southport, has stated his support for the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

On 11th March 2015, John Pugh MP supported Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, when she tabled the National Health Service Bill – the NHS Bill – in the House of Commons. The NHS Bill was based on the second version of the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

The last thing the NHS needs now is yet another top down reorganisation. The NHS Reinstatement Bill provides a good basis for a better direction of travel for the NHS. 

There are many risks which need to be dealt with. The public sector ethos of the NHS is at risk.  The current dynamics and structures within the NHS means that the risk of fragmentation has been heightened. The private sector is camped on the front lawn of core NHS services, preying on the NHS and cherry picking its easiest and most profitable services.  

These factors merely increase the risks and financial challenges, potentially resulting in further pressure to follow the market dogma and purchaser/provider environment which we believe has contributed to the present difficulties in the NHS.

The NHS Reinstatement Bill sets down a marker; a starting point for discussion and planning amongst those who care about the future of our NHS and who want the next Government to respond positively.

Joint statement by John Pugh and Andrew George MP, 11 March 2015

 

You can support the campaign by asking your MP and prospective parliamentary candidates whether they would back an NHS Reinstatement Bill to be in the next Queen’s Speech.

Take action here.

Andrew George MP backs the NHS Bill

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Andrew George, the Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, has been a key supporter of the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

On 11th March 2015, Andrew George MP and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas co-sponsored the National Health Service Bill – the NHS Bill – when it was tabled in the House of Commons. The NHS Bill was based on the second version of the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

“There are many risks which need to be dealt with. The public sector ethos of the NHS is at risk. The current dynamics and structures within the NHS means that the risk of fragmentation has been heightened. The private sector is camped on the front lawn of core NHS services, preying on the NHS and cherry picking its easiest and most profitable services.

“The last thing the NHS needs now is yet another top down reorganisation. The NHS Reinstatement Bill provides a good basis for a better direction of travel for the NHS.”

Andrew George MP, 11 March 2015

3 - Student nurses with Andrew George Caroline Lucas and Peter Roderick

Andrew George MP, alongside Caroline Lucas MP, and barrister Peter Roderick (co-author of the NHS Reinstatement Bill), talking to student nurses on the day the NHS Bill was presented to parliament.

 

You can support the campaign by asking your MP and prospective parliamentary candidates whether they would back an NHS Reinstatement Bill to be in the next Queen’s Speech.

Take action here.

Photo-op: 11.30am, College Green, Wed 11 March

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The NHS Reinstatement Bill – named in parliament the NHS Bill – will be presented by Caroline Lucas in the House of Commons on Wednesday 11 March. It will be co-sponsored by a cross party group of up to 12 MPs – including Liberal Democrat Andrew George, Labour’s Michael Meacher, SNP’s Stewart Hosie and Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams.

To mark this milestone, we will have a photo opportunity with any campaign groups who would like to come along at 11.30am on College Green, near the House of Commons. Everyone is welcome. Bring your banners. We hope that Caroline Lucas MP, Andrew George MP and some of the other supporting MPs will be able to join us.

 

What does ‘presenting’ the Bill mean?

It is a mechanism to publish the Bill formally in the House of Commons. Caroline Lucas will be asked who is introducing the Bill, read out the names of the other MPs, and will then walk three steps down the middle of the Commons, bow, take three more steps, bow again, and will then hand the Bill in at the table.  It will be read out by the clerk and will then be formally listed as one of this year’s bills.  Notionally Caroline Lucas will name a day for the Second Reading debate, although at this stage in the parliamentary cycle this will not happen before the General Election.

The full text of the Bill should be published shortly after, hopefully on Thursday 12th March. The published Bill will have a very small number of changes to the second version of the Bill we have prepared, and it should then be available on Parliament’s website.

Why is this important?

Whilst there is no parliamentary time to take the Bill any further in this parliament, this is an important milestone in showing cross-party support, and enabling other MPs to see the full text of the Bill.

Why now?

The NHS Reinstatement Bill was drafted in August 2014 by Professor Allyson Pollock and barrister Peter Roderick. There was a consultation period that finished in December 2014. Based on the consultation responses received, we published a second version of the Bill in February 2015. It is this second version, with a small number of changes, that will become ‘The NHS Bill’ as presented in parliament.

What next?

The aim of our campaign has always been to for people to ask their MP and parliamentary candidates to state their support for an NHS Reinstatement Bill to be included in the Queen’s Speech after the General Election.

You can help.

Take action – write to your MP and candidates today.

Presentation of the NHS Reinstatement Bill in Parliament

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We hope and expect the the NHS Reinstatement Bill to be presented to the House of Commons on Wednesday 11th March by Caroline Lucas of the Green Party supported by MPs from the Liberal Democracts, Labour, the SNP and Plaid Cymru.

It’s a formal process accompanied by publication of the long title of the Bill, and there will be no debate on the day. If there’s to be a debate on it before Parliament shuts down for the General Election at the end of March, we’ll let you know.

We hope the Bill will be published on 12th March with a very small number of changes to the second version of the Bill we have prepared, and it should then be available on Parliament’s website.

What will happen on the day?

On the 11th March the NHS Reinstatement Bill – which in Parliament will be called ‘The NHS Bill‘ – will get its First Reading. There is a formal ceremony where Caroline Lucas will be asked who is introducing the Bill,  read out the names of the other MPs, and will then walk three steps down the middle of the Commons, bow, take three more steps, bow again, and will then hand the Bill in at the table.  It will be read out by the clerk and will then be formally listed as one of this years bills.  Notionally Caroline Lucas will name a day for the Second Reading debate, although at this stage in the parliamentary cycle this will not happen before the General Election.

What next?

Whilst is a good step forward to present the Bill, we need it to be properly debated in Parliament. To achieve this, we need more MPs and candidates to state their support for an NHS Reinstatement Bill to be included in the Queen’s Speech after the General Election.

Take action – write to your MP and candidates today.

 

Dave Anderson MP supports the proposed NHS Reinstatement Bill

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Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon is backing the proposed NHS Reinstatement Bill.

“I would absolutely support an NHS Reinstatement Bill in the next parliament, and I’m delighted to tell you that Labour will repeal the Health and Social Care Act on being elected. I was formally the President of Unison the biggest trade union in health and proud that we always opposed the private sector leeching off our NHS and I will support moves to safeguard the service in public hands”.

Dave Anderson MP, March 2015

Does your MP support the NHS Reinstatement Bill? Ask them now.

Find out more about the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

NHS Reinstatement Bill – new version published

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The story so far

The NHS was set up by a law – the NHS Act 1946. Since then, there have been dozens of Acts affecting it – especially over the last 25 years or so.

The most radical of these laws was the Health and Social Care Act 2012, because it abolished the legal duty on the government to provide key NHS services in England, and took marketisation to a new level.

We need a law to reinstate that legal duty, to stop marketisation, and to re-establish public bodies. Without a law, the process now rapidly underway will continue.

This is why Peter Roderick and Professor Allyson Pollock drafted a NHS Reinstatement Bill in August 2014. This Bill was put out for consultation, and dozens of responses from individuals and organisations were received. The consultation on the proposed NHS Reinstatement Bill ended in December 2014.
 

NHS Reinstatement Bill – February 2015

NHS Reinstatement BillPeter Roderick and Allyson Pollock have since drafted a new version of the Bill, finalised on 21 February 2015.

The new version of the NHS Reinstatement Bill is available here.

The explanatory notes are available here.

The comparison between the previous and current version of the Bill is available here.
 

 

Brief summary of the NHS Reinstatement Bill, February 2015

In short, the Bill proposes to fully restore the NHS as an accountable public service by reversing 25 years of marketization in the NHS, by abolishing the purchaser-provider split, ending contracting and re-establishing public bodies and public services accountable to local communities.

This is necessary to stop the dismantling of the NHS under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. It is driven by the needs of local communities. Scotland and Wales have already reversed marketization and restored their NHS without massive upheaval. England can too.

The Bill gives flexibility in how it would be implemented, led by local authorities and current bodies.

It would:

  • reinstate the government’s duty to provide the key NHS services throughout England, including hospitals, medical and nursing services, primary care, mental health and community services,
  • integrate health and social care services,
  • declare the NHS to be a “non-economic service of general interest”, asserting the full competence of Parliament and the devolved bodies to legislate for the NHS,
  • abolish the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England) and re-establish it as a Special Health Authority with regional committees,
  • plan and provide services without contracts through Health Boards, which could cover more than one local authority area if there was local support,
  • allow local authorities to lead a ‘bottom up’ process with the assistance of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and NHS England to transfer functions to Health Boards,
  • abolish NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and CCGs after the transfer by 1st January 2018,
  • abolish Monitor – the regulator of NHS foundation trusts, commercial companies and voluntary organisations – and repeal the competition and core marketization provisions of the 2012 Act,
  • integrate public health services, and the duty to reduce inequalities, into the NHS,
  • re-establish Community Health Councils to represent the interest of the public in the NHS,
  • stop licence conditions taking effect which have been imposed by Monitor on NHS foundation trusts and that will have the effect of reducing by April 2016 the number of services that they currently have to provide,
  • require national terms and conditions under the NHS Staff Council and Agenda for Change system for relevant NHS staff,
  • centralise NHS debts under the Private Finance Initiative in the Treasury, and require the Treasury to report to Parliament on reducing them,
  • abolish the legal provisions passed in 2014 requiring certain immigrants to pay for NHS services
  • prohibit ratification of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and other international treaties without the approval of Parliament and the devolved legislatures if they would cover the NHS,
  • require the government to report annually to Parliament on the effect of treaties on the NHS.

Further and consequential amendments would also be necessary and these would be contained in a simultaneous NHS (Consequential Provisions) Act.
 

Take Action

We need MPs in the next session of parliament to commit to backing an NHS Reinstatement Bill.

Please help by contacting your MP and prospective parliamentary candidates in the run up to the election on May 7, asking them to state their support for an NHS Reinstatement Bill.

Please let us know their response, by emailing <info@nhsbill2015.org>.

You can see whether your MP and candidates have already replied here.

New NHS Reinstatement Bill campaign leaflet

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Setting up a stall? Holding a hustings? Persuading the public? If so, we now have the leaflet that you need.

Available for free, as long as you’ll put them to good use.

It’s A5 size, and intended as a way to let people know about the campaign, and how they can take action.

To order a bundle, just email <info@nhsbill2015.org> letting us know your address and how many leaflets you’d like.

Leaflet image

 

 

999 Call for the NHS backs the campaign

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Jo Adams Trafalgar SquareWe are really pleased to announce that 999 Call for the NHS are backing the Campaign for the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

The 999 Call for NHS is the people’s campaign for the NHS, inspired by a group of local mums from Darlington.

“The 999 Team are pleased to support and contribute to any bill that seeks to remove private health firms from the heart of our NHS. We want to see the Health Service completely renationalised and an end to the fragmentation and deconstruction of comprehensive healthcare. We welcome any bill that clearly aims to support this vital position.”

Joanna Adams, founder of 999 Call for the NHS

 

999 Call for the NHS are organising a convention for all NHS campaigners on Saturday 28th February in London.  Peter Roderick, lawyer and co-author of the NHS Reinstatement Bill will be speaking, and Alan Taman from the campaign will outline how you can help put pressure on politicians. Book your free place today.

 999 Call for the NHS Convention

 

See the full list of supporters of the Campaign for an NHS Reinstatement Bill 2015.

Please help support the campaign by asking your prospective parliamentary candidates to back an NHS Reinstatement Bill.

999 Call for the NHS – Convention for the NHS

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London, Saturday February 28th – 999 Call for the NHS are organising a convention to bring together an alliance of NHS campaigners. Everyone is welcome.

There will be a wide range of NHS campaigners speaking at the event, and a chance for you to network and plan your own campaigns.

One of the speakers will be lawyer Peter Roderick, co-author of the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

Health journalist and Campaign for the NHS Reinstatement Bill press officer Alan Taman will also be speaking about what action you can take to support the NHS Reinstatement Bill, and about the role of the media. 

This will be your chance to hear why we need an NHS Reinstatement Bill, what the content of the Bill is, and how you can help campaign to make it reality.

The event is free – but you do need to register. Go to the 999 Call for the NHS to book your place today.

999 Call for the NHS Convention