Attacks on the NHS article roundup

This is the second time I have compiled a list of some of the articles I have put on here. The last time was June so I thought it was time for the next one.

For the June list please see here.

These last two months have seen a slight change in direction from specific MPs to the process of manipulation during the Health bill ‘pause’. In addition the research into the parliamentarian links was wrapped up revealing 60 MPs with financial links to companies involved in private healthcare, bringing the total of all parliamentarians with these links to 200.

I hope you find the list interesting and useful.

1. Unedited document from NHS private healthcare lobby Group Reveals Actions Taken to Ensure Competition Remained in Health bill - This important document, which was handed to Social Investigations, reveals the lobbying process that took place by the private healthcare lobby group, NHS Partner Network in its attempts to ensure competition remained a big part of the Health and Social Bill during the listening exercise. Newspapers, think tanks and secret meetings are all revealed here.

2. Key Member of NHS Future Forum Colluded with Lobby Group over Competition - The Head of a voluntary association who was a key member of the NHS Future Forum during the government’s ‘pause’, colluded with a private healthcare lobby group to agree a message, promoting the benefits of competition in the Health and Social Care bill. Here.

3. Health Minister and Lansley’s Special Advisor held Secret Meetings with Private Health Care Lobby Group to ‘reassure’ Before Parliament Aware of Bill - A separate document has revealed a top-level political trio, held a secret meeting with a private healthcare lobby group to reassure them about the likely calming of opposition to the healthcare reform, two months before the bill was even introduced to parliament. Here.

4. The Telegraph, the Think Tank and a Very Dodgy Business  - The document from the NHS Partners Network, revealed an extraordinary revelation that the Telegraph allowed its editorial to be ‘orchestrated’ by a healthcare lobby group, according to the words of the its director in a document meant for its members eyes only. Here.

 

5. Over 60 MPs Connected to Companies Involved in Private Healthcare - In total 65 MPs have financial links to companies involved in private healthcare. Of them, 52 are Conservative MPs, 9 are Labour MPs, and 3 are Liberal Democrats, leaving 1 other from another party. This means, 79% of MPs with these links are Conservative. Here.

 

6. NHS Partners Network – who are they? – This private healthcare lobby group have been playing a key role in the Health and Social Care bill, having met with Lansley in 2007 to ‘discuss’ the draft health bill. Find out who they are and their members links to our Lords and MPs. Here.

 

7. The Telegraph: Pushing Circle’s Agenda - If we are to believe the content of the Daily Telegraph’s recent editorial, titled ‘Hope for the NHS’*, then we can all breathe a sigh of relief, pack up your placards, the NHS it would appear, is saved. At least that’s the message being propagated in an extraordinary campaign being run by a so-called ‘quality paper’ on behalf of Circle Health. Here.

 

8. Reform - Setting the Agenda with Unknown Others – Reform is a right-wing think tank that claims to be ‘independent’. Like many think tanks they have charity status, although when you look at their work, it is hard to see where the charitable part exists. They are setting the agenda for our public services in meetings that only they know who was in attendance. They do this by holding them under the Chatham House Rules. See who their corporate partners, the beneficiaries of the changes to the NHS they help promote. Here.

 

9. Corporate Britain: Parliamentary Rules Not Fit For Purpose - The rules that MPs and Lords are legally obliged to abide by, have failed to prevent the corporate takeover of our politics, leaving our democracy in a parlous state. Here.

 

10. A dereliction of duty: The BBC's failure to challenge Lansley's healthcare connections - The BBC admit to not challenging Andrew Lansley on his links to companies involved in private healthcare throughout the process of the Health and Social Care bill. Here.