E-Petition Heaps Pressure On NHS Reform Bill

More than 100,000 people have signed an online petition urging the Government to scrap controversial NHS reforms.

The e-petition - which demands that health secretary Andrew Lansley's landmark Health and Social Care Bill be dropped - will now be considered for debate in the House of Commons.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said the tens of thousands of signatories had sent "a very clear message to the Prime Minister".

"They want him to listen and stop putting his political pride before the best interests of the NHS.

"Mr Cameron wants to legislate to turn our NHS into a free market. He is being reminded in no uncertain terms that he does not have the public's permission to do this.

"Nobody voted for this reorganisation and Mr Cameron promised it would not happen.

"The 'Drop the Bill' call is turning into a deafening cry supported by patients, professions and even members of Mr Cameron's Cabinet. It is a fight we can and must win."

The Health and Social Care Bill would increase GPs' powers to commission servcies, scrap primary care trusts and strategic health authorities and establish an independent NHS board.

The petition - which had 110,151 signatures by 2am on Wednesday - is only the latest call for the NHS proposals to be scrapped after opposition from key bodies such as the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing, and claims of a rift in the Cabinet over the bill.

However, Downing Street has dismissed suggestions that Mr Lansley should be sacked and insisted ministers were "fully behind" his NHS reforms.