Time Is Running Out!

JD provides a list here of those for and against the Health and Social Care Bill (HSCB) and he notes in his ‘Against’ column that “Most of the population (if they knew it)” would be.

I am certain he is correct.

So why don’t they/we know?  I think Richard Bloggers’ excellent post “Why Patients Are Not Objecting To The Health Bill” is well worth a read.  Please read it all!

He writes:  “NHS patients treat the NHS like mains-supplied water. When you need it, it is there. Turn the tap on, and the water flows. Go to your doctor and get treated. You don't have to think how either is provided. You don't think about how it is funded. (Even people on metered water don't think: flushing this toilet will cost me 1p.) You know it is there and you use it when you need it.

And that is exactly how it should be.

But it will change under the Health and Social Care Bill.”

And indeed it will.

For further information of how the HSCB will affect YOU, please read “Frequently asked questions on the Health and Social Care Bill” and focus on

Q7:  I had the impression that the reform was all about putting GPs in charge, which sounds like a good idea.  Isn’t this the case?

A:     No. Through their involvement in Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), GPs will be acquiring new financial and legal responsibilities for balancing budgets and deciding whose care can be paid for and whose cannot, but they may well see a reduction in their professional autonomy rather than an increase.  Specialist services will be provided for most patients through the Any Qualified Provider (AQP) process (identical to Any Willing Provider process used for commercial procurement in the EU and the USA).  GPs initially believed that they would be able to help their patients navigate the system and arrange optimal care.  However it turns out that any provision through AQP must be administered under competition laws, it is the rule of the patient alone to choose a provider.  Because the GP is part of the system, it would distort competition between providers if GPs advised patients of which to choose – so they won’t be allowed to.   Thus GPs will only gain workload and risk, and patients will be deprived of GPs know-how on which providers will be the most suitable.

So your care outside your GP practice will be in the hands of ANY Qualified Provider and not that of a specialist your GP knows and trusts.  How will YOU know who to choose?

Would you send your child to ANY school or attempt to secure a place at a school that offered good education?  Would you buy ANY car or one that you knew was roadworthy?    Would you buy ANY house or one that you wanted to live in as it suited your needs?  (Carry on the possibilities here your good self!)

Dr Kailash Chand is behind an e-petition to have the HSCB scrapped.    It has 63,237 signatures at the time of writing and needs 100,000 before 16/05/12 to force a debate in Parliament.   If you care about the NHS, please sign it – there is much to lose if you don’t.

Please email all you know and ask them to sign the petition and also forward “The frequently asked questions on the Health and Social Care Bill” too.

Cheers!

Anna :o]

Addendum:  e-petition signatures at 11H05 today (Sunday) is 64,467!  A thousand plus since yesterday!  Keep signing folks and we will easily make 100,000!  Don't forget to ask all you know to sign it, tweet it, whatever they can!  Yay!