Labour goes onto attack on Health Bill – at last

As the Guardian reports:

Labour are releasing a 16-page dossier setting out “the hidden reality of David Cameron’s health reforms”.

It identifies five main flaws in the bill. This is what they are, according to Labour.

1. There would be nothing to stop NHS hospitals going bust.

2. Hospitals would be subject to EU competition law, which means they could be fined up to 10% of turnover by the regulator.

3. There would be less accountability in relation to NHS services, which means NHS units could be closed without any consultation.

4. Hospitals would be allowed to give priority to private patients.

5. GPs would have the right to charge for services.

As they also note:

Some of these claims are strongly contested.

I think Labour have these issues right though.

If you promote the market hospitals have to be able to fail. This will be at massive cost to society.

EU competition law is going to apply – and the new regulators sole aim is not health care – but ensuring competition does rule.

Already data on health services is being denied because it may be ‘market sensitive’ and new consortia are outside FoI rules -as they’re private bodies. This is appalling.

And I have no doubt 4 and 5 follow – although 5 is not as clear as they others, yet.

But Labour is now counter attacking – and that’s the good news.