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Johnson outlines future of health Johnson outlines future of health
(20 minutes later)
Health Secretary Alan Johnson is outlining plans for a personalised NHS to the Labour conference - as election talk continues to dominate events. Health Secretary Alan Johnson has outlined plans for a personalised NHS to the Labour conference - as election talk continues to dominate events.
Mr Johnson told the BBC he wanted the NHS to be "clinically led, locally driven" and convenient for patients. Mr Johnson said wanted the NHS to be "clinically led, locally driven" and convenient for patients.
He is expected to flesh out promises to "deep clean" hospitals to combat bugs such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile. He pledged to empower matrons to fight hospital infections, to tackle obesity and make GPs more accessible.
Speculation Prime Minister Gordon Brown may call an autumn poll has grown after his leader's speech on Monday. Speculation that Prime Minister Gordon Brown may call an autumn poll has grown after his leader's speech on Monday.
Mr Brown did not refer to the election talk during his speech, but in a series of media interviews he refused to rule out calling an early election.Mr Brown did not refer to the election talk during his speech, but in a series of media interviews he refused to rule out calling an early election.
Patient powerPatient power
Whenever there is an election the health service is expected to be a key issue with all three main parties battling to make it "theirs".Whenever there is an election the health service is expected to be a key issue with all three main parties battling to make it "theirs".
Mr Johnson is giving his speech to the conference and is due to say more about proposals to urgently treat suspected breast cancer cases, expand colon cancer screening programmes, offer all adults health checks and boost patient power. In his speech Mr Johnson criticised the Conservatives, saying at worst they were a "major risk" to the NHS and were "unfit to govern".
He said the government wanted to move away from "top-down structural change" to focus efforts on better patient care.
TUESDAY'S AGENDA Policy seminars: Britain and the world, health, education Alan Johnson speechQ&ADavid Miliband speechQ&A: Des Browne and Douglas AlexanderJohn Hutton speechPeter Hain speech At-a-glance: Conference picksTUESDAY'S AGENDA Policy seminars: Britain and the world, health, education Alan Johnson speechQ&ADavid Miliband speechQ&A: Des Browne and Douglas AlexanderJohn Hutton speechPeter Hain speech At-a-glance: Conference picks
He is also expected to outline plans for a new regulator to check on standards in hospitals and close down wards if necessary, as well as proposals to giving personal safety alarms to hospital staff who need them to improve security. "GP surgeries should be open at times and in locations that suit the patient, not the practice," he told conference delegates.
"Pharmacies, sports centres and high street walk-in centres can do much more to provide primary care effectively and conveniently."
More GPs surgeries were needed in deprived areas to help tackle health inequalities, he said, and to work, not just on curing illness - but on prevention measures.
After the smoking ban, faster progress was needed on tackling obesity in children and adults, he said.
Hospital bugs
And he said he wanted a regulator to tackle hygiene standards in NHS and private hospitals - with the power to investigate and close down wards where standards are not being met.
He said progress had been made on tackling MRSA but said the battle against Clostridium difficile "must be intensified".
Mr Johnson also said "too many" hospital staff were suffering intimidation and violence at work, and pledged personal safety alarms for those who needed them, better training on handling aggressive patients and more prosecutions.
The health secretary's address follows Mr Brown's remark - which echoed comments once made by Margaret Thatcher - that patients should be able to see their doctor at the time they want, at the hospital or clinic they want, not at a time someone else wants.The health secretary's address follows Mr Brown's remark - which echoed comments once made by Margaret Thatcher - that patients should be able to see their doctor at the time they want, at the hospital or clinic they want, not at a time someone else wants.
Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he did not want a "confrontational approach" with GPs, or to change the 2004 contract, but intended to work with GPs and the BMA to develop a "much more convenient service". Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he did not want a "confrontational approach" with GPs, or to change the 2004 contract, but intended to work with them to develop a "much more convenient service".
"The NHS was developed as a kind of monolithic organisation, it was a creature of its time, very centrally driven," said Mr Johnson."The NHS was developed as a kind of monolithic organisation, it was a creature of its time, very centrally driven," said Mr Johnson.
"That has changed, what we are trying to do ... is to get local practitioners looking out towards their patients rather than up towards Whitehall for their tablet of stone.""That has changed, what we are trying to do ... is to get local practitioners looking out towards their patients rather than up towards Whitehall for their tablet of stone."
Focus 'remorselessly'
He said more people should be able to choose which GP they go to - but admitted there were problems in some areas with a shortage of practices.
"What I want is to focus absolutely remorselessly on patient care - how we can improve patient care. And part of that is empowering patients to say I'm not getting good care with this GP I'll go to another GP," he said.
Asked if that meant GPs would have to compete against each other, he said: "In a sense, that's true but I don't think it would work on the basis of, you know, Tesco versus Asda.
"It would be people who want a GP practice where they believe that the people running the practice are polite and hospitable and are welcoming, where they can an appointment ahead of time, where they fell the GP understands their particular needs."
In other developments at the conference:In other developments at the conference:
  • Veteran left-winger Tony Benn tells a fringe meeting there should be a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty.
  • Veteran left-winger Tony Benn tells a fringe meeting there should be a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty.
  • Union leaders say they avoided a showdown with Gordon Brown - on changes to conference voting rules - because they did not want to ruin his first Labour conference as party leader.
  • Union leaders say they avoided a showdown with Gordon Brown - on changes to conference voting rules - because they did not want to ruin his first Labour conference as party leader.
  • Former deputy leadership contender Jon Cruddas attacks immigration minister Liam Byrne's "extraordinary" response to a Lib Dem proposal for an amnesty for illegal immigrants.
  • Former deputy leadership contender Jon Cruddas attacks immigration minister Liam Byrne's "extraordinary" response to a Lib Dem proposal for an amnesty for illegal immigrants.
    Later, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, in his conference address, is expected to reiterate the government's determination to fulfil its responsibilities in Iraq and Afghanistan.Later, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, in his conference address, is expected to reiterate the government's determination to fulfil its responsibilities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
    He is also likely to echo Mr Brown's words that the focus in Iraq must now be on security, political reconciliation and economic reconstruction.He is also likely to echo Mr Brown's words that the focus in Iraq must now be on security, political reconciliation and economic reconstruction.
    But, with Mr Brown's big conference speech gone and three more days of the event to run, delegates are likely to examine all ministers' speeches for signs of any hints that election planning is under way.But, with Mr Brown's big conference speech gone and three more days of the event to run, delegates are likely to examine all ministers' speeches for signs of any hints that election planning is under way.