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How the government are failing the health service
- Richard A D O'Brien (9 July 2008)
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Richard A D O'Brien, GP principal East Quay Medical Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4GP
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Jon Snow's article is a refreshing reminder that the vast majority of the NHS works very well. But it's not just the media that concentrate on the rare instances of poor practice to make sensational claims that sell their papers: the government does exactly the same, apparently to turn our patients against us and support their political reforms. A good example comes from their own £23m survey showing that 84% of patients are content with their GPs' opening hours; the government's response (presumably premeditated) is to beat us over the head with the other 16% and impose extended opening hours. An insight into the government's philosophy was provided by Ben Bradshaw's announcement in national news broadcasts on 3rd July that "gentleman's agreements operate that mitigate against lists being open to new patients and therefore work against real patient choice." Bradshaw was forced to climb down by balanced journalism on the BBC Radio 4 Any Questions programme on 4th July, and the transcript is illuminating: Jonathan Dimbleby (Chairman): When you say that they have this "gentleman's agreement" to undermine patient choice, what are you claiming that they are doing? Ben Bradshaw (Health Minister): In a very small number of places in the country people tell us that when they try to change their GP they're told by their GP practice, "No you can't because we will not take patients from other practices." It's...certainly not the biggest obstacle to patient choice, which is one of the things that we want to try to encourage; there are far bigger obstacles to patient choice, but I have to say...we were inundated by emails and calls from people who had/ JD [interrupting]: What does "inundated" mean? BB: I had more emails than I've ever had on any other issue/ JD: Is that ten or a hundred or a thousand? Ten thousand? BB: No, to my parliamentary office it's more than ten, which I can tell you is a lot/ JD: More than ten. BB: A lot. [Laughter from audience] JD: With respect, is more than ten enough to use "people tell us" [as] evidence to make a statement that has so outraged the BMA, namely that they're operating a gentleman's agreement? Isn't that sort of pushing it a bit? BB: It's enough to indicate to me that the claim by the BMA leadership...that this never happens is not true. It's pretty demoralising for us to witness such prejudice in our policy-makers, knowing that this attitude is fed down to the PCTs. Now the cat's officially out of the bag I hope they will understand any reluctance we may have to believe what they say and cooperate with their reforms. Competing interests: A hard working GP |
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