Doctors urged to fight NHS changes

Over 100 doctors have signed a letter criticising the British Medical Association and calling on fellow doctors to fight the government’s proposed changes to the NHS.

The doctors, who include 20 professors, say in their open letter that the BMA should stop its “critical engagement” over plans that it claims will “destroy” the NHS and should withdraw from discussions with the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.

Lansley insists that GPs will benefit from the plans which will give over £80bn of NHS funding directly to family doctors in England who will then be responsible for commissioning services in their area. However the letter, published in the British Medical Journal, says the reforms will destroy the NHS and badly affect the social fabric of the nation. The letter also criticises the BMA for not holding a special meeting to allow the full membership to air their views.

The signatories say that by not holding a special meeting the BMA has no mandate to proceed with its discussions with the government. However these criticisms have been denied by BMA chairman, Dr Hamish Meldrum, who said the organisation had debated the reforms. He added that the BMA welcomed some of Lansley’s proposals though it had real concerns over some others.

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