Exclusive: prime minister calls summit on 'implementing NHS reforms'

17 February, 2012 | By Dave West

The prime minister was meeting today with senior health and social care leaders at a summit to discuss the “implementation of the NHS reforms” on Monday afternoon with senior healthcare leaders.

The meeting was revealed on Friday by HSJ and has sparked outcry among those opposed to the reforms. The groups which have declared themselves completely against the changes were not invited.

The meeting indicates the government intends to press on with implementing its Health Bill rather that discussing dropping it or making significant changes.

Academy of Royal Colleges chair Sir Neil Douglas wrote to the Royal College presidents earlier this afternoon, saying: “Some of you will have been invited to a meeting with the prime minister on Monday. This is being titled as a meeting to discuss Implementation of the NHS Reforms which would indicate where the government is coming from.”

He adds: “Just to clarify this is not the meeting between the Colleges and the PM that many of us discussed 3 weeks ago in BMA house but is a Downing Street initiative. We are not yet clear of the invitation list but it appears to be selective and definitely broader than the Colleges.”

The royal colleges of GPs, nursing and midwifery have confirmed they were not invited to the event and the British Medical Association has also indicated it was not. Health unions and some other medical royal colleges have also not been invited.

Health minister Simon Burns, confirming groups were excluded because of their outright opposition to its Bill, said the government has only invited groups which are “constructively engaged”.

Groups which are invited include the royal colleges of physicians and surgeons, the NHS Alliance, National Association for Primary Care, National Voices, Foundation Trust Network, and Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations.

Royal College of GPs chair Clare Gerada confirmed after the story broke that her organisation - which has been highly critical of the reforms - has not been invited. The colleges of radiology and pathology have also not been invited, and nor has the British Medical Association.

The summit comes at a time when there is also pressure on colleges and other national health bodies to toughen their position against the Health Bill.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said it would not release the invite list to the meeting, but said it included groups from “health, social care, voluntary organisations and GPs”.

UPDATED: 20 February

Readers' comments (35)

Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 5:38 pm
Seems the Prime Minister still isn't listening.
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 5:44 pm
Can't believe they are freezing out the RCGP given GPs are the key players in the government's solution. Political payback does not make for effective change
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 5:45 pm
How (not) to take people with you and make sure the reforms are a success!
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 5:49 pm
...clearly not a listening exercise, but perhaps the deafening objections are finally being heard? even if those objecting loudest do not appear on the guest list
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 6:44 pm
Shame the Pathologists haven't been invited - their skills are just what the Bill requires - a detailed dissection class for junior politicians to learn how not to handle legistation.
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 6:52 pm
Most important that everyone boycotts this meeting - no one wants implementation except Cameron, Lansley and a few unscrupulous marketeers and clinicians who see profit it it. Image if no one shows up! Influence your friends to decline this invitation.
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 6:58 pm
I am really puzzled and somewhat bemused by the lack of inclusion of the RCGP; it will be General Practice that makes this work, or indeed doesn't, that makes it really their party. "its my party and I'll cry if I want to" springs to mind, you can exclude the RCGP but if the government thinks it has had problems thus far - hang on to your hat, its about to get worse. The other thing that is puzzling is what message is this sending to the public - by the way electorate the people we have given control over the majority of NHS spend, because we think they are the best people to do it, we don't trust them to play nicely so we won't talk to them anymore. Grow up guys and get a grip.
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 7:36 pm
In an 'open and transparent' government what reasons would you give for not declaring the invite list? One wonders if La La is invited?

Cameron is clearly still not listening - He appears to have forgotten we live in a democracy.

e-petition - Stop the Bill - 142,230 - and counting.
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Phil Moore | 17-Feb-2012 7:38 pm
It's high time that the GPs who recognise the implementation of local commissioning as being the only real way to transform the NHS start to speak up much more loudly. If we want the real improvements that our patients and populations deserve, let's get on with the job and change the way we deliver health and care. If clinicians do not know how to do it then I cannot see any other group knowing any better. Working with good managers is key to this. In our area we are not short of GPs who are willing and able to pick up the agenda. In addition we have a large group who have volunteered for leadership development over the next couple of years so a younger, able and confident group are ready to take it further in a few years time. These are exciting times with enormous possibilities to improve things by local action.
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 8:38 pm
I can almost hear the conversation now
Cameron
IF YOU PROMISE TO SUPPORT US AND NOT SAY ANYTHING NASTY, I CAN PROMISE YOU LOTS OF NICE THINGS........
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Anonymous | 17-Feb-2012 8:39 pm
"no decision about me without me " I know it refers to patients (not invited)but surelyit should apply to all the staff groups involved in implementation The way the govt is handling thiswill lose those few supporters they have Not to disclose the list of invitees merely encouragesmore discussion on process than content
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Anonymous | 18-Feb-2012 7:51 am
More of a canyon than a summit
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Anonymous | 18-Feb-2012 8:04 am
A good example of coalition "democracy" in action and a lesson in how to lose what little credibility you had left. Well done.
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Anonymous | 18-Feb-2012 8:41 am
Time for the NHS Confederation to step up to the plate and NOT SELL US OUT! The PM needs to hear that the Bill cannot go through unscathed. Conflict between Competition and Integrated Care springs to mind, and the seemingly unrecognised conflict of interest GPs face in the Bill as it stands.

Unfortunately I have no confidence that Mike Farrar will risk saying anything the PM doesn't want to hear.
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Anonymous | 18-Feb-2012 8:55 am
I agree with the last point. You would be hard pressed to find a senior manager who is in favour of the reforms but neither the FTN nor NHS Confederation appear willing to represent their members' views.
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Anonymous | 18-Feb-2012 9:47 am
This will become a business school case study in how not to manage major policy change
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Anonymous | 18-Feb-2012 4:27 pm
Who does the Confederation represent?
Didn't the acute sector 'float off'? And are CCGs going to join up?
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Anonymous | 19-Feb-2012 1:58 pm
Perhaps after the listening exercise, this is the shouting exercise?
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Anonymous | 20-Feb-2012 10:11 am
ANONYMOUS | 17-FEB-2012 8:39 PM
Absolutely right - the first things that strike me about this are that the organisations on the list are those to be LEAST affected by the bill and that at the top of the list of those missing are any representatives of the patients and other service users who will feel the maximum impact - potentially for the better (if one believes the DH).
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Anonymous | 20-Feb-2012 2:10 pm
Interesting that the surgeons and anaesthetists are there, no doubt making their private practice is safeguarded.
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