08 June 2007
Gordon Brown must win doctors' support or he risks destroying the NHS, the British Medical Association said this week.
In a wide-ranging critique of government health policy, BMA consultants' leader Jonathan Fielden said doctors were angry with ministers and morale had hit rock bottom. He attacked the use of the private sector, the stream of policy initiatives from Whitehall and the creation of the new NHS market.
Brown has said the NHS will be his 'immediate priority' once he becomes prime minister at the end of this month but Fielden insisted he could not address the issue soon enough. In a speech to the annual consultants' conference, he said the profession had lost all confidence in the government.
He urged Brown to work with health staff to stem the loss of faith. 'Political meddling has brought the NHS to its knees. Unshackle the profession, give us back the health service and we will rebuild it. Fail to do so and you will have a long-lasting legacy to be condemned for destroying the best piece of social capital the country has ever had.'
PFjun2007
