Lords Deal Another Blow To NHS Reforms

The Government has lost the first in a series of votes in the House of Lords on its NHS reforms after David Cameron rejected growing criticism of his Health Secretary.

Mr Cameron said Andrew Lansley had his "full support" and denied suggestions his job was on the line.

His staunch defence of Mr Lansley came during fiery exchanges in Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons.

With peers about to resume their scrutiny of the Health and Social Care Bill, Labour leader Ed Miliband urged Mr Cameron to "give up" on the changes.

"This is a matter of trust in the Prime Minister," he told MPs. "Can he honestly look people in the health service in the eye and say he's kept his promise of no more top-down reorganisation?"

Mr Miliband added: "He knows in his heart of hearts that this is a complete disaster. Why won't you just give up and stop wasting billions and drop your Bill?"

But Mr Cameron insisted GPs were not just "supporting our reforms, they are implementing our reforms".

"I care passionately about the NHS, not least because of what it has done for my family and because of the amazing service that I have received," he said.

"I want to see that excellent service implemented for everyone and that meanstwo things: it means we have got to put more money into the NHS, and we are putting the money in, but it also means we have got to reform the NHS."

Speculation over Mr Lansley's position was fuelled on Tuesday when an unnamed Downing Street source was quoted as saying he should be "taken out and shot" for mishandling the issue.

But Mr Cameron stood by him saying: "The career prospects for my right honourable friend (Mr Lansley) are a lot better than his (Mr Miliband's)."

The Bill is back in the Lords less than a week after the Royal College of GPs wrote to Mr Cameron calling for it to be scrapped.

More than 90% of respondents in a new survey by the British Medical Journal also said it should be dropped.

The policy risks turning toxic for Mr Cameron, who personally pledged during the general election campaign he could be trusted with the health service.

His plans for GP-led clinical commissioning have sparked major concerns, with the UK Faculty of Public Health the latest in a string of professional bodies coming out against them.

Faculty president Professor Lindsey Davies said: "We are now calling on the Government to withdraw the Bill in its entirety, because it would be in the bestinterests of everyone's health.

"Our 3,300 members - experts in planning and providing for people's health - have been closely involved in trying to make the Government's proposed reforms work since they were first introduced.

"Based on our members' expert views, it has become increasingly clear that the Bill will lead to a disorganised NHS with increased health inequalities, more bureaucracy and wasted public funds."

A Downing Street spokesman insisted the Government plans will deliver a better, more streamlined NHS where patient care is the top priority.