NHS REFORMS

That this House notes the current proposals to reform the NHS in England; believes that potentially positive elements of the NHS reforms - giving clinicians responsibility for commissioning and shaping local health services, increasing public and patient involvement, and focusing more on public health - are threatened by other aspects, particularly those seeking to force and increase competition; further believes that clinicians who are responsible for commissioning should be free to work collaboratively with hospital and community care colleagues and patients to develop the care pathways that, in their clinical judgement, provide the best care for their patients, without fear of challenge;considers that the reforms should ensure proper accountability to prevent unacceptable local variation and the maintenance of a national approach to key issues such as education, training and workforce; and calls on the Government to ensure flexibility in the pace of implementation of the reforms.