Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has bounced back from his embarrassing defeat in the courts over his illegal attempts to close Lewisham Hospital A&E and maternity services. A sneaky late amendment to the Care Bill would override the judgement and leave other local services as fair game for cuts.
Under his new Clause 118, added surreptitiously to an otherwise unrelated Bill, new powers will be given to trust special administrators who take over failing NHS trusts, many of which are saddled with crippling PFI debts.
These will let the health secretary’s unaccountable appointees recommend the closure or downgrading of neighbouring hospitals, even if they are successful and financially viable organisations.
If this clause becomes law, hospitals will be at risk of having services shut down without their agreement, without proper consultation with clinical staff, patients and the public, and without even any agreement from the new GP commissioners.
It’s a cynical ploy by the government to get round the law that prevented them from forcing the downgrading of Lewisham Hospital’s emergency and maternity services in the face of overwhelming public opposition.
If it passes, this dangerous new clause will leave every hospital open to top-down reorganisation by the secretary of state with barely any consultation with the people affected.
We need your MP’s help now.
The Care Bill will be debated in the House of Commons on Monday 16 December and through committee stage over the next few weeks. Please ask your MP to follow the Bill through the Commons and make clear their opposition to Clause 118.
