NHS Safe?

[GastonJ]

MPs have voted through a controversial measure that gives England's health secretary powers to close local hospitals, even if they are performing well. Clause 119 in the Care Bill allows a hospital to be closed or downgraded if a neighbouring trust is struggling financially.
The government maintains it is a good way to address local care issues. But critics say the powers put finances ahead of patient care.


Clause 119 gives special administrators the power to make changes to neighbouring services while trying to rescue failing NHS trusts.

It was inserted into the bill after the High Court ruled last October that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had acted outside his powers when he decided the emergency and maternity units at Lewisham Hospital, in south-east London, should be cut back to save a neighbouring trust that was going bust - Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich.

BBC News - MPs grant powers to close local hospitals

The government will now be able to close hospitals that are performing well and have no problems. Does that sound like a government that has the interests of patients at heart? Usual race to the bottom that has come to be expected from the coalition

[Meat-Head]

Within reason MHz funds (iShit autocorrect) should be unlimited. Because if somebody develops a fault and has to be took to next town 45 miles away because parts are not available and die on the way their relatives back in Poland will be during (iShit autocorrect) the MHz (iShit) for lots of money

[Snowy79]

Another reason for Scotland getting Independence. Less chance of the NHS getting privatised by stealth like down South.

[nara]

NHS Safe?

Not with the Tories and Jeremy Chunt on the case.

[super jumbe]

Rubbish! 150 cases in three or four million operations. You know nothing, small but some connections Staffordshire Health Authority tragic mistakes found ecu put on wrong side!!!!!

[johnboy1974]

Ok so we close down hospitals that perform well. What a nice way to repay hard working staff who made that hospital perform well in the first place.


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[super jumbe]

hard working staff who made that hospital perform well in the first place.
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Totally agree they work very hard language problem, we hear drive right hand thoes staff come from afgantan, taiwan, they drive left hand told them to take left kiddney they remove right who to blame for the blunders???

[nara]

Rubbish! 150 cases in three or four million operations. You know nothing, small but some connections Staffordshire Health Authority tragic mistakes found ecu put on wrong side!!!!!

Anyone?

[GastonJ]

Anyone?

Care in the community?
The only reason I could think to close down a performing hospital is so that you can send people to Nuffield, BUPA or the hospital you handed to your mates at Serco. However I see that Serco will be handing back Braintree Hospital back to teh NHS at the end of March. The reason:

"The decision to end this contract early was a very difficult one for us, but Serco's opportunities to improve the utilisation of the hospital are constrained."

Maybe they couldn't store any more prisoner tags in there, one's they 'forgot' to attach to prisoners, or maybe it's also because they're under investigation for fraud. Perhaps Lord Gendonbrook, Baroness James, Lord Gavron or any of the others who have vested interests in companies that supply/abuse generally want to buy the NHS for a pittance to make a massive profit would be able to comment *shrug*