The Petition of residents of the United Kingdom,
Declares that the Petitioners are opposed to the Health and Social Care Bill.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to withdraw the Health and Social Care Bill.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Tom Blenkinsop, Official Report, 7 March 2012; Vol. 541, c. 975.]
[P001012]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Health, received 27 April 2012:
The Government have noted the petition calling on it to withdraw the Health and Social Care Bill. The Bill has now received the Royal Assent, after 50 days of detailed parliamentary scrutiny in both Houses of Parliament. It becomes the Health and Social Care Act (2012).
The Act will:
Give more power to front-line doctors and nurses—Health professionals will be able to make key decisions about improving care for their patients;
Drive up quality—There will be a greater focus on improving standards of care;
Give patients more information and choice—Patients will get the information they need so they are able to choose the best hospital or doctor for them;
Reduce bureaucracy—two layers of management—Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities—will be removed through the Act, saving £4.5 billion over the lifetime of this Parliament, with every penny being reinvested in patient care.
Improve co-ordination—There will be strong duties on the NHS to improve how it works with social care service and other local services;
Help promote good health—Local authorities will be able to pull together the work done by the NHS, social care, housing, environmental health, leisure and transport services to promote health and wellbeing in the communities they serve;
Give more power to local people—Power will shift from Whitehall to town hall—there will be at least one locally elected councillor and a representative of Healthwatch on every Health and Wellbeing Board, to influence and challenge commissioning decisions and promote integrated health and care.
The Government now look forward to working with NHS staff, patients, the public, and other organisations to implement the reforms.
The Petition of residents of Scunthorpe,
Declares that the Petitioners are opposed to the reforms to the NHS that will be brought about by the Health and Social Care Bill as the Petitioners believe that they will damage the quality of services provided by the NHS.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to reverse the reforms to the NHS brought about by the Health and Social Care Bill as soon as possible.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Nic Dakin, Official Report, 27 March 2012; Vol. 542, c. 1441.]
[P001016]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Health, received 27 April 2012:
The Government have noted the petition suggesting that the Health and Social Care Bill will damage NHS services and should be reversed. The Government strongly disagree.
Following 50 days of detailed parliamentary scrutiny in both Houses of Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill has gained the Royal Assent. It becomes the Health and Social Care Act (2012). It will:
Give more power to front-line doctors and nurses—Health professionals will be able to make key decisions about improving care for their patients;
Drive up quality—There will be a greater focus on improving standards of care;
Give patients more information and choice—Patients will get the information they need so they are able to choose the best hospital or doctor for them;
Reduce bureaucracy—Two layers of management—Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities—will be removed through the Act, saving £4.5 billion over the lifetime of this Parliament, with every penny being reinvested in patient care.
Improve co-ordination—There will be strong duties on the NHS to improve how it works with social care service and other local services;
Help promote good health—Local authorities will be able to pull together the work done by the NHS, social care, housing, environmental health, leisure and transport services to promote health and wellbeing in the communities they serve;
Give more power to local people—Power will shift from Whitehall to town hall—there will be at least one locally elected councillor and a representative of Healthwatch on every Health and Wellbeing Board, to influence and challenge commissioning decisions and promote integrated health and care.
The Government now look forward to working with NHS staff, patients, the public, and other organisations to implement the reforms.