Doctors Call For NHS Reforms To Be Scrapped

The British Medical Association has said the Government's NHS reforms should be scrapped - warning going ahead would be an "enormous risk".

The organisation says the Health and Social Care Bill should - at the very least - undergo major changes.

Nick Clegg has spoken at a London hospital, where he promised the health service will not be "flogged off to the highest bidder".

The consultation on "significant" changes to the controversial shake-up has just days to run, revised plans are due to be published in a few weeks.

Many Liberal Democrats are unhappy at what they see as a move towards privatisation of the health service.

In a speech at a London hospital, the Deputy Prime Minister said he backs the use of private providers in the health service and that they have improved patient choice.

But he added: "It's not the same as turning this treasured public service into a competition-driven, dog-eat-dog market where the NHS is flogged off to the highest bidder."

In his speech, Mr Clegg highlighted the "unusual" decision by the Government to pause the progress of the legislation amid serious political and professional hostility.

The subsequent "listening exercise", which has seen ministers visiting hospitals across the country, has so far proved "immensely helpful in producing the best set of reforms we can", he said.

Details of the changes "will have to wait" until the process is complete, he added.

But the BMA is making a last ditch attempt to see the reforms scrapped.

Dr Mark Porter told Sky News: "It's essential to alter the shape of that bill because it would be so damaging to the NHS, in fact in many ways it would be better simply to withdraw the bill and start again.

"But that would require a great deal of courage, I would salute anyone that was able to put that amount of courage in after having invested so much in pushing through the bill so far."

Labour wants the Health and Social Care Bill to be sent back to a committee of MPs for detailed line-by-line discussion if significant changes are made.

The "pause" came after the legislation had completed that stage of its passage through the Commons but the Opposition yesterday tabled an amendment calling for it to be repeated.

Shadow Health Secretary John Healey said: "David Cameron has promised significant and substantial changes to his NHS plans. If he's true to his word, he must also agree to full and proper scrutiny of the amended Bill by sending it back to Committee."