BMA says white paper a ‘curate’s egg’

The BMA has told its members it will ‘critically engage’ with the consultation on the white paper which it has described as good in parts.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, BMA Council chairman, has written to doctors and medical students to set out the associations’ response so far to the government’s white paper Liberating the NHS which proposes a major overhaul of the health service in England.

In his letter Dr Meldrum says: “Many consider the white paper to be something of a large curate’s egg; good in parts, bad and in parts, unclear in parts and even internally inconsistent in parts.”

He says concerns about the proposals include an increase in the role of the market in healthcare and an increase in participation by the commercial sector.

Dr Meldrum argues that despite or because of such concerns it will be “absolutely vital” for the BMA to be involved in the consultation period. The East Yorkshire GP adds that “non–engagement in the consultation period would greatly increase the risk of bringing about the adverse outcomes that many of you fear”.

The white paper outlines plans to scrap primary care trusts and strategic health authorities and devolve 80% of the NHS budget to GP consortia. Dr Meldrum says GPs must work with secondary care colleagues and patients if commissioning is to be successful.

He adds: “Commissioning will also require high quality management support and we fully expect that consortia will wish to engage with experienced NHS managers to work with them both in developing their plans but also in the longer term.”

Dr Meldrum described the massive reorganisation of the NHS as “a very challenging agenda “ that is not without risk but adds that “it is vital that we rise to the challenge and, together, try to ensure that we mould these proposals into a set of solutions that can benefit our patients and the working lives of doctors.”

The government has committed itself to work with “GP organisations” on the white paper proposals and bodies including the NHS Alliance, the National Association of Primary Care and the Royal College of GPs are likely to be consulted alongside the BMA which has the negotiating rights for GP contracts.