MP Bob opposes 'NHS privatisation'

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th May 2007

Government proposals to back Private Treatment Centres "are privatisation of the National Health Service by stealth," Colchester MP Bob Russell told the House of Commons.

Speaking during Health Questions, Mr Russell said that "every patient who is forced to go to one of these independent centres will help to undermine the financial stability of local hospital trusts."

The town's Liberal Democrat MP had challenged the establishment of Independent Treatment Centres, of which up to three could be built in Essex, and had asked if it would be a requirement that such centres should pay a levy towards the costs incurrent by the NHS in training staff.

Responding, the Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, said the independent sector treatment centres were designed to provide extra capacity to help cut waiting times for NHS patients, and training of staff would form part of the contracts for future centres. She denied that the centres were privatisation.

Afterwards Mr Russell said that the establishment of Independent Treatment Centres would result in NHS trusts being forced to send patients to them and that this would therefore result in a reduction in the funds available for use in NHS hospitals and health centres. "The Government may claim the Centres are not privatisation of the NHS, but if you are spending public money on sending patients to private centres then that is privatisation - and it undermines NHS staff and hospitals in the process."