BMJ  2003;326:1347 (21 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7403.1347

News

New health secretary vows to continue NHS reform agenda

London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The surprise departure of Alan Milburn as health secretary will not derail the NHS reform agenda of Tony Blair's government, says his successor, John Reid. Dr Reid told BBC Radio 4's Today programme last week that he has been an "arch-moderniser" for 20 years, and "a Blairite before Blair was ever heard of."

Dr Reid also dismissed complaints that as a Scottish MP he was ill suited to push through the English project of foundation hospitals. "When they appointed Sven-Göran Eriksson as England manager, there was a huge fuss about it, but actually what people want to know now is has he been a good manager?"

Former health secretary Frank Dobson predicted, however, that the next revolt against foundation hospitals may surpass that seen in May, when 63 Labour MPs voted against the proposal. "There will . . . [Full text of this article]

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