Doctors’ leaders say it’s time to protect the NHS whatever government is in power after this year’s General Election.
The British Medical Association is calling on politicians of all parties to protect the NHS. With a general election certain to take place sometime this year the BMA says politicians need to be realistic about what the NHS can actually deliver. They need to recognise that the UK needs investment in health more than ever and must pursue sound and evidence-based planning of services, said Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of Council, BMA. 
In improving health and reducing the cost of health services the government must focus more than ever on wider public health issues including alcohol misuse, tobacco control and obesity. Dealing effectively with these problems could save millions of premature deaths in the future. “We hope this government – and any future government – will adopt our resolutions,” said Dr Meldrum.
The BMA has issued a 10 point action plan in its election year manifesto titled “Standing up for Doctors – Standing up for Health”.
In its Foreword, Dr Meldrum says: “We are committed to a health service that is properly resourced, comprehensive, free at the point of delivery and provides equal access for all. These are the founding principles of the NHS, which have stood the test of time and must continue. An incoming government could both deliver efficiency savings and win back the goodwill of health care staff by pursuing policies based on a vision of the NHS as a publicly-funded, publicly-provided service, rather than a marketplace of competing providers.”
The 10 point plan urges politicians to:
1. Stop wasting taxpayers’ money on poor value contracts between the NHS and private companies.
2. Don’t cut frontline services, or penalise NHS staff to bail the country out of the financial crisis, which was not of their making.
3. Safeguard funding for medical research and the education and training of clinical staff.
4. Work towards creating a tobacco-free society by 2035.
5. Set a minimum price per unit of alcohol and ban all alcohol advertising in the media.
6. Support and develop general practice to deliver high-quality care for patients.
7. Discourage NHS Trusts from cutting the time consultants can spend on initiatives to improve quality, patient safety and cost effectiveness.
8. Don’t raise the cap on tuition fees in 2010 – a move which would send the cost of a medical degree soaring and dissuade the less well off from deciding they can study medicine.
9. Address the BMA’s serious concerns over the quality and continuity of junior doctors’ training.
10. Compel the NHS to lead by example by reducing its carbon footprint.
Dr Meldrum said taxpayer’s money should be “invested in the NHS where they will provide better value for money and help more patients.” He added: “The political parties have been grappling with the current financial crisis and cuts in the public sector are being proposed from this year onwards. The BMA is calling on politicians to resist the false economy of making quick savings by cutting front-line NHS services. Instead we urge them to use our resolutions to protect and improve the health service. The government needs to value doctors and invest in their education and training.”
The NHS is running at full capacity but Dr Meldrum noted that “Recessions add to the burden and the unexpected is around the corner. We need to be prepared for all eventualities.
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