Doctors launch crowd-funded legal fight

Doctors are launching a £144,000 crowd-funded legal fight against American-style NHS bodies which critics have claimed could be a “Trojan horse for privatisation”.

The medics are speaking up after Jeremy Hunt was accused of trying to sneak “accountable care organisations” (ACOs) past Parliament without a vote.

ACOs will integrate an area’s health “commissioners” and “providers” into one big body that runs packages of care.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens says the plans will “effectively end the purchaser-provider split” and help patients.

And the government has insisted the NHS will always remain free at the point of use.

But critics say it is an NHS overhaul on the scale of ex-Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s reforms in 2012 – and fear private firms could end up with too much control.

Dr Kailash Chand, an honorary Vice President of the British Medical Association, claimed ACOs could be a “Trojan horse for privatisation” adding: “At worst, they are the end game for the NHS.”

Now a group of doctors and academics want to raise £144,000 for a legal challenge demanding more scrutiny of the plans.

They say Parliament – where changes are due to take effect by February without a vote – must have more say and they want a further public consultation.

The group raised £26,000 in just one day last month, but are now seeking the extra money after the Department of Health indicated it would fight a full judicial review at the High Court.

Professor Allyson Pollock, a health specialist at Newcastle university who is helping lead the case, said: “Our concern is the government haven’t even alerted the public let alone undertaken a full public consultation on what’s going to be a very major change to the NHS.

“ACOs would be a radical reorganisation of health and social care that needs scrutiny.”

A separate legal challenge is being fought by grassroots group 999 Call For The NHS, which argues ACOs are currently “unlawful”.

NHS England plans to pave the way for ACOs in legislation that will take effect by February.

But it will be implemented by a “statutory instrument”, a type of law on which it is usually very difficult for MPs to get any kind of meaningful vote.

Labour wrote to House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom this week calling for a full debate on the plans.

Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth wrote: “Accountable Care Organisations are potentially the biggest change which will be made to our NHS for a decade.”

He said there are “big unanswered questions” and “growing public mistrust” about the level of private sector involvement – including whether ACOs will be a “vehicle for greater rationing of treatment.”

He added: “The unacceptable secrecy in which these ACOs have been conceived and are being pushed forward is totally contrary to the NHS’s duty to be open, transparent and accountable in its decision-making.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: “It is right that local NHS leaders and clinicians have the autonomy to decide the best solutions to improve care for the patients they know best.

“But significant local changes must always be subject to public consultation and due legal process.

“It is important to note that ACOs have nothing to do with funding – the NHS will always remain free at the point of use.”

 

Article originally appeared on Mirror

The Institute cannot confirm the accuracy of this story or confirm that it presents a balanced view. If you feel this is inaccurate we would welcome your perspective and evidence that this is the case.

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