Leading Liberal Democrat health campaigner, Andrew George MP, has called upon the Health Secretary – Rt. Hon Andrew Lansley MP – to genuinely listen during the ‘listening exercise’.

Andrew George had cautioned the Secretary of State against simply using the ‘pause’ in the legislative process to mount another public relations drive.

Andrew George – who is a member of the Health Select Committee who challenged the Prime Minister about the reforms before the Bill was published, argued for Liberal Democrat opposition to the Government’s policy when it was floated last July, spoke against the Bill at the Second Reading and has pledged to vote against it at the Third Reading unless there is a policy u-turn – fears that the Secretary of State is so wedded to his proposals he will not be prepared to relent.

Andrew George said: “It is already looking more like a public relations rather than listening exercise.

“Last year I described the policy as a ‘train crash about to happen’. I was wrong. It will be far worse than that. This massive gamble with our most cherished public service will destabilise and fragment the NHS at precisely the wrong time – i.e. when it has to meet the most challenging efficiency gain in its 62 years history; and an efficiency challenge greater than any health system has sought to achieve worldwide.

“Nothing short of a u-turn to broaden responsibility for commissioning and to protect core NHS services from the hostile challenges of a predatory private sector will do.”