House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13 Dear Lord Alderdice,

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13 Dear Lord Colwyn

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord Darzi of Denham House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord Darzi of Denham

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13 Dear Baroness Finlay of Llandaff

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Baroness Hollins House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Baroness Hollins

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord Kakkar House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord Kakkar

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord McColl of Dulwich House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord McColl of Dulwich

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Baroness Murphy House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Baroness Murphy

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord Owen House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord Owen

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord Patel

House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord Patel

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord Rea
House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord Rea

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord Ribeiro
House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord Ribeiro

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord Walton of Detchant

House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord Walton of Detchant

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

Lord Winston
House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear Lord Winston

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,

House of Lords Westminster London SW1A 0PW 18-Mar-13

Dear

THESE ARE NOT THE REGULATIONS YOU SEEK!

We are part of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign watching with increasing fury at draconian NHS legislation being slipped through. We helped raise a storm against the legislation because CCGs would not have been free to commission based on medical need. The regulations would have prioritized the private sectors rights to supply under competition law. CCGs would have had to fight Monitor and private companies if at any time, they wanted patient need to win out over competition law requirements. The amended regulations are now laid. They still force CCGs into tendering for everything, unless the services to which the contract relates are capable of being provided by only one provider. An event so rare, and so hedged with bureaucracy and provision for legal challenge, that it adds nothing whatsoever to the CCGs limited freedoms. They may look different, but the effects are the same. Please, keep the pressure on to gain what was promised throughout the path of the Bill, and also to perhaps restore at least some faith in our democratic processes. We need you to ensure that the following appears in the rewritten legislation:
commissioners, not the Secretary of State or regulators, should decide if, when and how private companies should be used to serve their patients interests do not impose compulsory competition on commissioners, nor give Monitor the power to impose those requirements ensure that commissioners will have a full range of options and are under no legal obligation to create new markets

In doing so, ministers would need to adhere to two key principles:

keeping the promises made to Parliament and the public during the original passage of the bill through parliament ensure local commissioners are able to apply their own judgement, and are encouraged to listen, involve and respond to the needs and opinions of local populations when making broad decisions in their patients interests

The founding principles of our acclaimed NHS are under attack like never before. The NHS began as a public service at a time when our national debt was far greater and the country less rich. Healthcare is not shopping it should not become a commodity and profit driven at the expense of rational decisions on the health of the nation. Please play your part in defending Britains greatest institution - our NHS. Yours,