PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS (18 October 2005)

That this House is concerned at the way in which the Government has developed its proposals to reconfigure the role of the primary care trusts (PCTs); recollects that the proposals were issued during the summer recess allowing little time for consultation; is concerned at the lack of clarity in the proposals, on critical issues such as how the new PCTs will involve and be accountable to local communities and members and on the relationship between general practitioner commissioning and PCT commissioning; believes that this reform lacks a credible evidence base and will cause turmoil through the transfer of community hospitals and NHS staff such as health visitors, community mental health staff and district nurses to other providers and will affect the delivery of patient care and public health programmes; challenges the view that PCTs should stop being providers of local services; regrets that there is no opportunity for parliamentary scrutiny of proposals which will radically change NHS structures; questions the need for such a rushed timetable in implementing these changes; urges the Department of Health to run a more open consultation process which is fully inclusive of the vital and experienced voices from the health sector; and calls on Ministers to review the consultation process and withdraw these proposals until elected representatives, healthcare managers, patient groups and NHS staff have had the opportunity fully to examine the impact that they will have on the provision of health services in their areas.

Sponsored by:
Judy Mallaber (Labour)