Clegg Claims 'Victory' Over NHS Reforms

Nick Clegg has risked inflaming coalition tensions by claiming victory for the Liberal Democrats in the spat over NHS reforms.

The Deputy Prime Minister will tell his party next week that he ensured their "voice was heard" and the new NHS package is a "job well done".

But shadow health minister Diane Abbott described the Lib Dems' claim "to have saved the NHS" as "hugely cynical".

She told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan: "The Lib Dems signed off all of the reforms and only panicked when their own rank and file, and doctors got very leery about them.

"It's very odd for Nick Clegg to now say 'I have suddenly found out that these reforms are terrible and I am going against them'.

"The Lib Dems' position is essentially dishonest."

The results of a consultation on the controversial health shake-up are due to be unveiled formally tomorrow, but David Cameron has already signalled a series of key concessions.

They include allowing hospital doctors and nurses to take control of commissioning services as well as GPs, and scrapping the 2013 deadline for consortia to start work.

Aides to the Prime Minister have insisted he was the driving force behind the policy rethink, but many Tory backbenchers are furious that their Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has been "hung out to dry" to appease Lib Dems.

Mr Cameron is expected to hold a meeting with his MPs in Westminster on Monday afternoon to explain why he believes major changes are needed.

That evening, Mr Clegg is due to tell a gathering of his parliamentary party: "We have achieved all we set out to achieve. It's a job well done."

The Deputy Prime Minister will present a scorecard of changes that were demanded by the Lib Dem spring conference in March.

Eleven of the 13 demands - including improving democratic accountability and preventing private firms 'cherrypicking' profitable services - have been secured, he is to say.

Alternative solutions have been found to meet the remaining two concerns. A source close to the Lib Dem leader said: "Nick has worked tirelessly in government to get the reforms into a place where he was happy with them.

"We're expecting the parliamentary party to be pretty pleased with the result... We have won."

The source added: "Nick said people would hear a louder Lib Dem voice in Government.

"We've spoken loudly and clearly. And we've been heard."

Dr Steve Field, the former president of the Royal College of GPs, submitted his Future Forum report recommending changes to the Health and Social Care Bill on June 10.

Ministers will publish the document tomorrow, before the Government formally outlines its response later in the week.