Clegg ally ‘could quit’ over NHS

One of Nick Clegg’s closest advisers has threatened to quit unless ministers make substantial concessions to a proposed overhaul of the NHS.

Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb said the plans posed a major “financial risk” to the NHS and patient care could suffer.

He said he would quit as Mr Clegg’s chief political adviser unless NHS professionals were “on board”.

Tory Party deputy chairman Michael Fallon acknowledged the government “needed to get the reforms right”.

Labour said Mr Lamb’s comments “added to the confusion” the government was showing over the NHS.

Ministers have pledged to listen to public concerns, but insist the healh service cannot be allowed to stand still.

The government is consulting further on plans to overhaul the NHS, under which GPs are to be given control of much of the budget, tiers of management axed and the service opened up to more competition.

Earlier the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander pledged “substantive changes” could be made to the Coalition’s NHS plans.

The “listening exercise” was launched following widespread criticism of the plans by opposition parties and medical professionals, including the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing.

Lib Dem activists have also aired their concerns, voting against the restructuring at their Spring Conference and urging ministers to rethink.

Mr Lamb, who was the party’s health spokesman in opposition, said the proposed changes carried an “enormous political risk”.

He told the BBC’s Politics Show that the government was “on the hook” over the issue and the proposal to give GPs control of budgets should be phased in rather than “rushed into”.

“The sensible thing to do is to test it and see how it works,” he said, adding that he had advised Mr Clegg of his concerns.

“To do it in one fell swoop is very risky”.

While supporting the general direction of government proposals, he feared the plans to hand commissioning powers to GP consortia were being “rushed through” with “no evidence” of they would operate.

“My real concern is the financial risk of doing it too quickly because then services and patient care suffers,” he said.”

Mr Lamb said he felt “very strongly” about the issue – so much so that he was prepared to stand down if aspects of the changes were not modified.

“I’ve said that if it’s impossible for me to carry on in my position, I will step down. And I think that it’s in the government’s interest to get it right in the way that I suggest.

“Getting the NHS right is the most important thing. And indeed it would be incredibly destabilising politically if we get this reform wrong.

Also speaking on the BBC’s Politics Show, Mr Fallon acknowledged the government “needed to get the reforms right, which means listening and seeing whether we can improve what we’ve already produced”.

But he insisted the coalition’s health reforms would work.

“We’re aware of concerns, not just amongst Liberal Democrat politicians but also some on the Conservative benches …but much more importantly, amongst those who are working in the health service, who are not alongside the GPs at the moment.

“For example, hospital doctors, who want to make sure that their voice is heard in these reforms, and that’s why we’re having the short pause now to take full account of all the voices involved in this,” he said.

However shadow chancellor Ed Balls said he thought Mr Lamb’s comments were “very significant”.

“Norman is very close to Nick Clegg, his closest political and parliamentary advisor. He has very great concerns.

“What we don’t want is a pause or a PR initiative, what we want is for the government to say we’ve got this wrong, and as Norman Lamb was saying, have a change of direction,” he said.

Shadow health spokesman John Healey said Mr Lamb’s comments “added to the confusion throughout the Conservative-led government over its handling of the health service” and “the NHS deserves better”.

“Norman Lamb… is now saying what Labour have been saying for months. The Tory-led legislation for the NHS has fundamental flaws and requires radical surgery,” he said.

David Cameron has said he will not allow “any risks” to be taken with the NHS.

But he has insisted the “status quo is not an option” and changes are needed to improve services in the future.

Speaking last week, he said there was support for the basic principles of putting patients and GPs in charge and giving more freedom to hospitals.

He said ministers would be holding a series of meeting with NHS staff and the public over the next couple of months – before MPs next consider legislation enacting the changes – to explain the government’s vision for the NHS and to see if improvements could be made.

Also speaking on Sunday, Mr Alexander suggested “substantive” changes to the proposals could be made, particularly in the area of the proposed GP-led commissioning authorities.

“This listening exercise is a real opportunity for the government to hear all those concerns,” he told the Andrew Marr show.

“We intend to come back with serious, substantive changes to this Bill as a consequence of this process.”

He added: “I do think there are issues about the way in which these (GPs) consortia will be governed and the way they will operate.”

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