Emma signed the NHS Support Federation’s petition this week opposing the Conservative Health White Paper.  The White Paper would see billions of pounds the NHS spends on treatment handed over to GPs to spend.  This will prevent family doctors from concentrating on their patients and force them to worry about budgets instead.

 

Emma said "The Government’s White Paper is very worrying. I am concerned that GPs will be distracted from treating patients and forced to make decisions based on finances.  Moreover as general practitioners, GPs do not have the specialist knowledge necessary to commission some treatments. For instance only a third of GPs are confident they could commission treatment correctly for mental health problems.  It is unfair on patients and GPs to put them into that situation."

 

In the Houses of Parliament Emma held Ministers to account on these issues.  She said:  "According to a recent survey by the leading mental health charity Rethink, 58% of GPs questioned said that they did not feel they had the level of expertise required to commission mental health services. Given that, what specific measures will the Government take to ensure that GPs have the skills and expertise needed to commission those highly specialised services?"

 

To join Emma and sign the petition simply click on this link or print off the petition here.  http://www.nhscampaign.org/uploads/documents/petition_form01.pdf

 

15 September 2010