Heart tsar attacks Health Secretary's NHS reforms
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.One of the most senior doctors in the Department of Health today launches a scathing attack on NHS reforms.
Sir Roger Boyle, who retired as the Government's National Director of Heart Disease at the weekend, accuses the Health Secretary of squandering past gains in treatment because of his obsession with opening up the NHS to private contractors, at the expense of patients. Sir Roger told The Independent: "The allegiances [of the private companies] will be to their shareholders, not to the users of the services. If the market was going to work, the Americans would have cracked it."
Mr Lansley's plans are "the ideas of one man acting without an electoral mandate", Sir Roger added.
He has accused Mr Lansley of "throwing out the old and bringing in the new without even looking at things that have worked well". His views are known to be widely shared in the department, across the profession and among MPs, and suggest the Government's revised NHS Bill will have a bumpy ride when it returns to the Commons in September.
Sir Roger says Mr Lansley had never bothered to visit him until a fortnight ago, despite his success in halving heart-disease death rates and slashing waiting times in the past decade, with minimal involvement by the private sector.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments