Lansley Plays Hardball

So Andrew Lansley knows that the key to getting his denationalisation of the NHS policies accepted is to get GPs on side. They are the key part because they will be in charge of the new rationing system. GPs are not happy. So what does Lansley do? Well he decides to annoy GPs by telling them that their pay will be frozen for two years. Pulse reports that the Department of Health have said that they will not consult the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body over these two years which means that there will be no contact between the GPs' representatives, the GPC, and the Department of Health even to discuss expenses.

It seems as if Lansley is deliberately goading the GPC. GPs argue that they will have to take on additional responsibilities with GP commissioning, and they want incentives to implement Lansley's demand that fewer patients are referred for hospital treatment. (Question: Did Lansley say at the election "vote for me because I want to stop you getting hospital treatment"? No, I thought not. But, I did say that this would happen.)

Their chair, Dr Buckman, is already attacking the government over Lansley's plans to put GP commissioning into the GP contract, which Dr Buckman says is unacceptable. GPs are starting to get vocal about their opposition to Lansley's plans. Yet Lansley is gaily telling everyone that

"GPs across England have fully endorsed his plans"

Yet Pulse say that they have plenty of comments from GPs opposed to the plans, indeed they even report one GP calling for legal action to be taken.

Meanwhile GPs at a meeting in Birmingham have called for a legal challenge to the white paper because of what they claimed was the threat to single-handed practices.
Dr Martin Jones, a GP at the meeting pushing for the move, said: ‘It was recognised that many single-handed or smaller practices are at risk of going under if the white paper goes ahead.’

So how can Lansley say thathe has enthusiastic support when there are still serious concerns over his plans, and when he is deliberately picking a fight with GPs over their pay?

I think that soon Cameron will regret putting such a pig-headed bully in charge of the NHS.