Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has renewed his attack on the Government’s reforms of the NHS, arguing that their sole intention was to ‘open up the NHS to privatisation’. In an interview with the independent, Burnham looks forward to the possibility of an EU/US trade deal, “US health-care companies will be able to say to an NHS clinical commissioning group: ‘We have a legal right to bid for that service.’ Dragging the NHS down that path will destroy it, it will devour what’s precious about the NHS”.
Pete from PSI: Whilst Burnham complaining about the possibility of increases in competition in the health service is nothing new, this interview follows freedom of information requests published by the Labour Party which showed that CCGs have spent over £5 million on competition lawyers since April 2013. It would appear that the Shadow Health Secretary is looking for practical examples to back up his rhetoric against the Conservative Party, in what is likely to be a key battleground during next year’s general election.
