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