Private competition 'will lead to disjointed health services'

Allowing private organisations to compete for NHS contracts could lead to a disjointed healthcare system.

That is the view of Professor Terence Stephenson, the chairman of the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges.

He has voiced his concerns in a letter to health minister Lord Howe and has requested an urgent meeting with the peer to discuss the proposals, the BBC reports.

Amendments to the Health and Social Care Act have been tabled that govern the roles of private organisations. Competition between the NHS and firms already exists in areas such a dermatology, hearing tests and physiotherapy, but the new regulations would see this extending to virtually all aspects of healthcare. They will be debated in the House of Lords tomorrow (March 6th).

Professor Stephenson said he is worried the overall service will not be "joined up", there could be a lack of accountability and medical records may not be available across the sector.

There have been several calls for MPs to demand their own debate on the regulations, with a number of campaigners - including a group of more than 1,000 doctors - calling for the plans to be thrown out.

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