This week's Kev's Column is slightly different as I publish below my response to the many e-mails I have received in relation to the National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill:
Dear Resident
Thank you for contacting me about the National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill that was voted on by the House of Commons on Friday 21st November.
I am absolutely committed to the founding principle of the NHS that care is free at the point of use based on need, not on the ability to pay.
The bill did pass its Second Reading vote and you can read the official record of the debate on Parliament’s website by following this link: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/commons/todays-commons-debates/read/unknown/15/ . A list of which MPs voted on the Second Reading of the Bill is available at the end of the transcript.
I welcome the level of involvement that the campaign promoted by 38 Degrees has produced, in particular the e-mails I have received. That said the bill as proposed would, in my view, amount to yet another upheaval in the NHS, hence why I do not support it, although I respect the sincerity of view held by those who have contacted me arguing in favour of it.
Over the last three years my Mother was supported at every stage by the NHS as she battled Bowel Cancer. Sadly she lost the fight for life in January, but thankfully the support received through the Cancer Drugs Fund allowed her to enjoy some extra time with us. Her experience means this is an issue close to my heart, not just something I debate in a political arena.
In terms of the delivery of services for patients there has never been a situation where all health care was delivered by the public sector. Since the NHS was founded in 1948 GP Practices have provided NHS services despite being independent business partnerships.
The previous Labour Government used private providers in the NHS, along with approving major PFI projects to build new Hospitals. Some of these schemes saw a Private Sector Hospital being built on the same site as a new NHS Hospital. I am therefore sceptical to hear the same MPs who approved these projects now indicating opposition to the NHS using such services today.
When Labour left office in 2010, private providers delivered five per cent of NHS services. After four years of the Coalition Government this has increased to just six per cent. Most services being commissioned by Clinical Commissioning Groups are NHS provided, with some services actually coming back into the NHS.
I note your comments on the proposed TTIP that is currently being negotiated. Under the proposed deal it will continue to be for EU member states to make decisions about whether and to what extent they involve the private sector in the provision of public services.
The EU Commission's chief negotiator on TTIP has confirmed in writing that EU countries will be free to decide how they run their public health systems. This letter is published on the Commission's website at:
ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/press/frontpage/2014/14_72_en.
In addition Dan Mullaney, the US Chief Negotiator, has also stated that: 'I wish... to stress that our approach to services negotiations excludes any commitment on public services, and the governments remain at any time free to decide that certain services should be provided by the public sector' (ibid.).
It is worth saying that the TTIP is not just supported by those on the Government Benches. The Labour MP who Chairs the All Party Group on EU-US trade, John Healey MP has challenged his own party to support the deal and notes that in his discussions with the EU's chief negotiator it has been clear that: 'any ISDS provisions in TTIP could have no impact on the UK's sovereign right to make changes to the NHS' (Independent, 10 October 2014, link<http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/ignore-the-critics--ttip-is-something-the-left-should-fight-for-9786820.html>).
Finally I am always happy to meet residents or a group of them to discuss an issue at further length. If you would like to do so then do get in touch using the details below.
Yours sincerely,
Kevin Foster
Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for Torbay,
Community Campaign Centre,
201 Union St,
Torquay,
TQ1 4BY