Reaction to Tory health plans

By Nick Triggle
BBC News health reporter

The Tories say their plans present a clear choice over health

Three key themes dominate the Tory health manifesto - hospital waiting, MRSA and patient choice.

Party leader Michael Howard said voters now have a "clear choice" between the Tories and Labour.

While the themes do not vary greatly from Labour's, the Tories maintain there are some key differences.

On introducing matrons to tackle MRSA, Mr Howard said the Tories will go further than Labour and give them powers to over-rule hospital chief executives to close wards when cleanliness standards are not up to scratch.

The Tories said 12% of hospital bosses have ignored warnings on cleanliness.

Nurses

Experts believe the proposal could help the fight.

RCN adviser Mike Hayward said: "Giving matrons more power and more say is welcome because nurses are ideally placed.

"We are really encouraged that the Conservative party are taking such an interest in the issue."

What all the parties must do with choice is ensure that patients have proper access to information to help them exercise choice Michael Summers, of the Patients Association Tories launch health policies

And Dr Paul Grime, of the British Medical Association's occupational health committee, said giving powers to matrons was good but added: "Tackling MRSA is everyone's responsibility.

"Hospitals should give health professionals [including doctors] with expertise in infection control greater say in management issues."

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the King's Fund, a health think-tank, also praised the measures.

"I think the NHS has been pretty slow to deal with MRSA."

He also welcomed the scrapping of many central targets proposed by the Tories, saying some of Labour's have not been wise.

The manifesto says a Conservative government would use patient choice to drive down waiting lists to zero.

It says patients will be able to choose to have treatment at any hospital - Labour are only offering an option of up to five.

But Mr Dickson was critical of the commitment to meet half the cost of private health care when patients to go private, saying it would be a "deadweight cost" and allow Labour to accuse the party of giving advantages to the better off.

Hospital waiting

Indeed, both opposition parties have already jumped on this, claiming it will divert £1.2bn of NHS money into private hands.

Overall, though he sees some "remarkable similarities" between the parties.

Labour has also committed itself to driving down hospital waiting, promising that no patient will wait more than three months for treatment by 2008.

Patients Association chairman Michael Summers was more positive about helping fund private treatment.

"For some patients that might be suitable so that is a good thing. But what it must not do is deprive the NHS of resources. It must be properly funded.

"What all the parties must do with choice is ensure that patients have proper access to information to help them exercise choice.

Shake-up

"Without this all the talk of choice is meaningless. The Patients Association sees the GP as the right person to help patients."

Behind the headline proposals, the Tories are also proposing a new shake-up of local NHS infrastructure.

The manifesto says strategic health authorities should be scrapped and primary care trusts streamlined by giving more powers straight to GPs.

But Jo Webber, policy manager at the NHS Confederation, which represents health service managers, said while there needed to be local flexibility wholesale change was unnecessary.

"In many cases PCTs are only four years old. They have taken on a lot of responsibility and have started achieving progress.

"Better access to GPs, smaller waiting lists, have all happen under PCTs. We should not rush in to immediate change."