The government is ‘relaxed’ about the crisis in general practice because it thinks Labour can’t win the general election, a former GP and health commentator has said.
Former GP Dr Phil Hammond, who covers health policy for Private Eye, said that ministers were ‘very relaxed’ about the NHS because they believe there is no effective opposition.
Plans to create large-scale accountable care organisations to run health and social care services across the NHS would eventually lead to all GPs becoming salaried employees, he added.
Citing a source ‘close to Jeremy Hunt’ Dr Hammond told the annual conference of Londonwide LMCs on Thursday: ‘They don’t believe that Labour is electable. They are very relaxed about the state of the NHS, very relaxed about the queues in casualty, waiting lists going up again, and the disaster in general practice, because they don’t believe Labour offers a credible opposition.’
Dr Hammond said the Conservative government viewed the NHS as ‘a service for poorer people’ and wanted those who can afford it to take out private medical insurance.