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| Health pledges underwhelm doctors | Health pledges underwhelm doctors |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Plans to give patients in England new rights to NHS treatment have failed to impress doctors' leaders. | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced in the Commons that patients would get "enforceable entitlements to prompt treatment and high standards of care". | Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced in the Commons that patients would get "enforceable entitlements to prompt treatment and high standards of care". |
| This would include a guarantee of seeing a cancer specialist within two weeks. | This would include a guarantee of seeing a cancer specialist within two weeks. |
| However, Dr Hamish Meldrum, of the British Medical Association, said the measures would have little impact. | However, Dr Hamish Meldrum, of the British Medical Association, said the measures would have little impact. |
| I can't see this will make any difference Dr Hamish MeldrumBritish Medical Association | I can't see this will make any difference Dr Hamish MeldrumBritish Medical Association |
| The aim of the latest proposals is to replace central targets imposed on health managers with a set of fundamental rights for individual patients. | The aim of the latest proposals is to replace central targets imposed on health managers with a set of fundamental rights for individual patients. |
| Other measures announced by Mr Brown included a guaranteed health check up for everybody over the age of 40, and a maximum wait of 18 weeks for the start of hospital treatment. | Other measures announced by Mr Brown included a guaranteed health check up for everybody over the age of 40, and a maximum wait of 18 weeks for the start of hospital treatment. |
| Mr Brown also said proposals would be unveiled later this year for a raft of measures, including: | Mr Brown also said proposals would be unveiled later this year for a raft of measures, including: |
| • Placing a greater emphasis on prevention of illness and disease, and on early intervention | • Placing a greater emphasis on prevention of illness and disease, and on early intervention |
| • An extension of the ability of patients to access treatment at a time and place that suits them | • An extension of the ability of patients to access treatment at a time and place that suits them |
| • Reform of maternity services | • Reform of maternity services |
| • Reform of the way health and social care services work together | • Reform of the way health and social care services work together |
| BMA chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum said the prime minister "rather than leading, simply seemed to be cliniging to power". | BMA chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum said the prime minister "rather than leading, simply seemed to be cliniging to power". |
| "I can't see this will make any difference," he said. | "I can't see this will make any difference," he said. |
| "There really is not that much difference between a target, a pledge or a gurantee to me." | "There really is not that much difference between a target, a pledge or a gurantee to me." |
| On the promise on cancer care, he added: "A two week wait is not really the issue. | On the promise on cancer care, he added: "A two week wait is not really the issue. |
| "I think joined up care, investigations and getting to see the right specialists is more important. | "I think joined up care, investigations and getting to see the right specialists is more important. |
| "We are not political so we are not calling for an election, but I think there is a feeling that certainly the public has lost confidence in all politicians and an election might address some of that." | "We are not political so we are not calling for an election, but I think there is a feeling that certainly the public has lost confidence in all politicians and an election might address some of that." |
| Tom Sandford, of the Royal College of Nursing, said cancer patients would be reassured that they would be seen within two weeks. | |
| But he said the overwhelming majority already were, and it would be better value for money to support the NHS to see additional patients, rather than turn to the private sector. | |
| He said: "Whether it's called a standard, target, objective or entitlement, what matters is that clinical decisions drive patient care." |