Leading critics of NHS reform are being silenced in a bid to kill off dissent, according to figures in the health service.
Frances Crook, head of the Howard League for Penal Reform and a former non-executive of a primary care trust (PCT), was told she would be fired if she went public with her criticism, following an article in which she highlighted her concerns in the New Statesman.
"It was quite threatening," she told politics.co.uk.
"I wrote pretty much what non-executive directors at meetings had been saying. I was expressing pretty widespread concerns.
"The director told me if I did this I should resign. He even told the appointments commission and I'm sure they blacklisted me."
She added: "They made it very clear if I did anything else critical in public about the legislation or the way the government was moving I would have to resign.
"Other non-executive directors were worried about going public."
She continued: "There's a voice that’s missing. You haven't heard non-execs talking. And yet we're supposed to represent the public on PCTs."
The comments come as Labour published a letter showing executives at PCTs threatening critics of the health and social care bill with disciplinary action if they publicly criticise the reforms....read more
http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2012/02/21/nhs-reforms-blamed-for-tories-lost-poll-lead
Frances Crook, head of the Howard League for Penal Reform and a former non-executive of a primary care trust (PCT), was told she would be fired if she went public with her criticism, following an article in which she highlighted her concerns in the New Statesman.
"It was quite threatening," she told politics.co.uk.
"I wrote pretty much what non-executive directors at meetings had been saying. I was expressing pretty widespread concerns.
"The director told me if I did this I should resign. He even told the appointments commission and I'm sure they blacklisted me."
She added: "They made it very clear if I did anything else critical in public about the legislation or the way the government was moving I would have to resign.
"Other non-executive directors were worried about going public."
She continued: "There's a voice that’s missing. You haven't heard non-execs talking. And yet we're supposed to represent the public on PCTs."
The comments come as Labour published a letter showing executives at PCTs threatening critics of the health and social care bill with disciplinary action if they publicly criticise the reforms....read more
http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2012/02/21/nhs-reforms-blamed-for-tories-lost-poll-lead
