Clause 1 - English health authorities: change of name
NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill
11:15 am
Mr John Baron (Billericay, Conservative)
I, too, support the amendment. It is easy for members of the Committee to make political points, but the Bill must be properly thought through because it will introduce fundamental changes to the workings of the NHS.
I want to highlight some early findings of the British Medical Association and other bodies that have suggested that we should take more time to consider the Bill. The general feeling in the medical profession is that it is being rushed through: for example, at a meeting in the west midlands a couple of weeks ago, senior health, local government and business representatives reached a consensus that the planned configuration of strategic health authorities and regions will be too large and diffuse to engage effectively with primary care trusts and local authorities.