By Boris Johnson plans reform of the NHS in England
A leaked document reveals Boris Johnson is planning to reverse controversial reforms of the NHS in England.
The changes would see a reduced role for the private sector and the document suggests the health secretary would take more direct control over NHS England.
It would scrap reforms introduced by David Cameron’s government in 2012.
The 2012 Health and Social Care Act, brought in by the coalition government led by Prime Minister Mr Cameron, gave more control over budgets to GPs and other clinicians, while greater competition with the private sector was encouraged.
However, the changes were controversial and attracted criticism from opposition MPs and professional bodies.
The government’s draft says: “enhanced powers of direction for the government to ensure that decision makers overseeing the health system at a national level are effectively held to account”.
The document was published by health news website Health Policy Insight.
NHS and local authorities will be left to run services and told to collaborate with each other instead of using competitive companies or private help.
There will also be more focus on GPs, hospitals and social care services working together to improve patient care.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said changes were being considered to drive forward the integration of health and care services and details would be set out in due course.
Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Last year was the first year in history where, across the world, there were more over-65s than under-fives, so we are all having to deal with this big change in our health provision of the growth in older people and what that means is you need a lot more joined up care.”
He added: “The structures need to be improved to make that possible and I think that’s what these reforms are intended to do, so I think they could be very positive.”
