The chair of Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, Sam Everington, has written to David Cameron calling for him to withdraw the controversial Health and Social Care Bill.
Mr Everington claims that local commissioning decisions already take place within his area and “an act of Parliament is not needed to make this happen” throughout the country.
In the letter posted on the internet, he said his CCG shares the concerns of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the British Medical Association in opposing the Bill.
“The Board of NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group ask you to reflect and to withdraw the Health and Social Care Bill,” he said.
“Supporting improvements in the quality of patient care is our passion and focus. We support a strong role for clinical involvement in commissioning decisions that lead to better health outcomes for our patients. We do this already in Tower Hamlets.
“Tower Hamlets primary care team has a long tradition and reputation for innovation and commitment to partnership working with patients and managers. We make the best of any challenges that come our way. Innovations include real improvements in the health of our patients with chronic illnesses like diabetes, the highest childhood vaccination rates in London, and an exemplary local out of hours service, delivered by our GPs and highly valued by patients.”
Mr Everington added that his CCG already works in partnership with the local community and health services “to improve and integrate services for the benefit of our patients”. The GP said that it was “against this background that we represent the views of our local GPs in asking you to withdraw the Bill”.
“Clinicians, patients and managers in Tower Hamlets are determined to improve health and well-being, but your rolling restructuring of the NHS compromises our ability to focus on what really counts – improving quality of services for patients, and ensuring value for money during a period of financial restraint,” he said.
“We care deeply about the patients that we see every day and we believe the improvements we all want to see in the NHS can be achieved without the bureaucracy generated by the Bill.”
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