Letter: Labour's agenda on health care
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.Sir: Your article 'Labour targets private health' (14 February), which quoted David Blunkett's statement that the NHS is being 'drained' of resources by the private sector, is misleading. The proposal to levy a charge on private medical insurance or private health care could spell disaster for any future Labour government concerned with the effective and efficient use of health care resources.
Given that the UK's independent health-care sector undertakes at least 20 per cent of all elective surgery and accounts for more expenditure than the NHS in Scotland or Wales, Labour seems to be endorsing a programme which would ultimately demand an increase of some 10 per cent on the NHS's budget.
Mr Blunkett has not put forward a soundly costed proposal, only a traditional and outdated view. Surely the way forward for a Labour government would be to utilise NHS resources, freed up by 15 per cent of the population who have access to independently funded health care? Labour's tax desires would, far from benefiting NHS patients, merely serve to increase the pressures on the state's scarce resources by forcing ever more people back into it.
Yours faithfully,
BARRY HASSELL
Chief Executive
Independent Healthcare
Association
London, WC1
16 February
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments