Can general practitioners compete with big business?: Changing drivers in the NHS

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7553.1335-b

BMJ 2006;332:1335-1336 (3 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7553.1335-b

Letter

Can general practitioners compete with big business?

Changing drivers in the NHS

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

EDITOR—The Langwith case reached the High Court over whetherthere was an obligation to activate section 11 of the 2001 Healthand Social Care Act, in this particular case.¹ The act states,among other things, that patients should be involved in thedevelopment and consideration of proposals for changes in the"way" in which their services are provided.

The national debate on privatisation is a separate issue, butthe publicity given to this case has been an important partof informing people how the culture and the drivers are changingin the NHS. Although, when we put in our bid, we had no ideaof what was about to happen, we subsequently allowed our bidto be used as an illustration of process.

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Credit: ALEX NUNNS

I believe that the NHS belongs to the electorate and not tothe government or professionals. It is worrying that the views. . . [Full text of this article]

Elizabeth D Barrett, general practitioner

Shires Health Care, Shirebrook, Derbyshire NG20 8DG elizabeth.barrett@nhs.net