'Conspiracy of silence' on NHS risk

As the government comes under increasing pressure to drop its hated Health and Social Care Bill parliament debated an opposition motion demanding the publication of the risk register.

Moved by Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham the motion argued that public and parliamentary debate into the "biggest reorganisation in the history of the NHS" cannot be properly informed unless the government comes clean on its risks.

Mr Burnham said: "Members opposite cannot look their constituents in the eye over the Bill and say that it is what they have always wanted.

"They are involved in a conspiracy of silence to keep the register secret.

"They know the case for the Bill will be demolished if the risk register is published and that is why they are not listening."

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has repeatedly refused to publish the register.

A surge in healthcare costs and conflicts of interest between patients, commissioners, GPs and private companies are among the concerns believed to be contained in the register.

Health services researcher Dr Lucy Reynolds commented: "The government's refusal to publish the national risk register for the NHS is outrageous. How can Parliament make a judgment on the balance of the evidence, if the government dare not reveal its own assessment of the risks posed by the Bill?"

But Mr Lansley claimed the government is publishing data "on the things that matter".

Tory Health Minister Simon Burns mistakenly referred to Mr Burnham twice as "secretary of state" during the debate in a question on health inequalities before realising his error.

Mr Burnham added: "It sounds like he would like to have me back."

During Prime Minister's Question Time earlier in the day Labour leader Ed Miliband said the Bill will become Prime Minister David Cameron's poll tax and is "a symbol of his arrogance."

Mr Cameron avoided answering simple questions on why key health professionals opposed to the Bill were not invited to his hapless NHS summit on Monday, allowing the Tory faithful to drown out questions with scoffs and guffaws.

willstone@peoples-press.com