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Johnson outlines future of health Johnson promises 'personal' NHS
(about 1 hour later)
Health Secretary Alan Johnson has outlined plans for a personalised NHS to the Labour conference - as election talk continues to dominate events. Health Secretary Alan Johnson has outlined plans which aim to make the NHS more user-friendly for patients, in his speech to the Labour conference.
Mr Johnson said wanted the NHS to be "clinically led, locally driven" and convenient for patients. He said patients should be treated close to home and GP surgeries should open "at times and in locations that suit the patient, not the practice".
He pledged to empower matrons to fight hospital infections, to tackle obesity and make GPs more accessible. He also outlined plans to tackle health inequalities and boost the fight against hospital infections.
Health is expected to be a key battleground at the next election.
Speculation that 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. Proud record
Patient power 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.
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". In his speech, Mr Johnson criticised the Conservatives, saying at worst they were a "major risk" to the NHS and were "unfit to govern".
In his speech Mr Johnson criticised the Conservatives, saying at worst they were a "major risk" to the NHS and were "unfit to govern". Mr Johnson said Labour had a "proud record" of increasing investment, staff and survival rates in the NHS - but now wanted to move away from "top-down structural change" to concentrate on better patient care.
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
The government would reshape the NHS to become "clinically led and locally driven" and trying to treat patients close to home where possible.
"GP surgeries should be open at times and in locations that suit the patient, not the practice," he told conference delegates."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.""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. Earlier, he told the BBC he did not want a "confrontational approach" with GPs and hoped to work with them to develop a "much more convenient service" for patients.
In his speech he said it was "unacceptable" that people in poor areas were likely to die younger than those in richer areas.
More GP 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.
Hospital infection
After the smoking ban, faster progress was needed on tackling obesity in children and adults, he said.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 were not being met.
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. Nothing I say here will convince anyone in the health service that the staged pay increase was fair Alan Johnson
He said progress had been made on tackling MRSA but said the battle against Clostridium difficile "must be intensified". "Too many patients feel insecure in hospital because of their fear of infection," said Mr Johnson.
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. He said progress had been made on tackling MRSA but said the battle against clostridium difficile "must be intensified".
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. Matrons and nurses will be empowered to "use their expertise to fight infection on the front line," he said.
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". 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 and better training on handling aggressive patients.
"The NHS was developed as a kind of monolithic organisation, it was a creature of its time, very centrally driven," said Mr Johnson. But on the controversial issue of public sector pay, he acknowledged in a question and answer session later: "Nothing I say here will convince anyone in the health service that the staged pay increase was fair."
"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." But he added: "I would hope people would put that in the context of what we have tried to do on pay and conditions for the past 10 years."
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; Mr Byrne said illegal migrants "should go home".
    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.