Stakeholder Response: Disability Rights Commission 

"One of the key challenges for Cameron’s Conservatives in renewing the NHS and delivering a service that is genuinely available equally for all will be closing the inequality gaps in health outcomes facing disabled people.

"Over a third of NHS users – patients, their families and visitors – are disabled, that is people with physical, sensory, learning or psychiatric impairments or other long-term health conditions.

"Disabled people make greater use of health services than non-disabled people yet may be least likely to get the service they need.

"For example new research by the Disability Rights Commission into the health inequalities experienced by people with learning difficulties, or mental health problems - as part of our Formal Investigation into this area - shows that they are much more likely to have some serious physical illnesses, such as diabetes, epilepsy and heart disease, than other citizens.

"But the research finds some worrying inequalities for these groups in the health services they receive: for instance, less screening checks - such as cervical smears - or routine blood pressure or cholesterol checks for existing health conditions, such as heart disease and strokes, than the rest of the population. 

"This means that disability equality needs to be a central goal of NHS improvement – indeed health service providers will be under new duties from December 2006 to positively promote disability equality and break down institutional barriers to equal treatment.  

"We hope this is an issue the Conservatives will focus on in their review of public services and offer our expertise in devising practical solutions.   

"Later this year we will publish final recommendations from our Formal Investigation and hope to see these taken up by politicians of all parties."

Stakeholder Response: BUPA

"The seven million people who pay for private medical insurance will have been disappointed to hear today's speech by David Cameron.

"While the previous Tory policy may not have been ideal, it did address the issue that people who voluntarily contribute more towards the costs of their healthcare are penalised.

"These people pay three times for their private healthcare - once through their taxes, a second time through their premiums and a third time through the tax the government levies on private insurance.

"BUPA is not arguing for incentives or special treatment for those who take out private health but we are saying that they should not be penalised, as they are at present.

"People paying for private treatment take considerable weight off the NHS and reduce waiting times.

"In addition, corporate medical insurance also helps UK plc to become more productive.

"It reduces the costs of sickness and helps employees return to work more quickly. As David Cameron has acknowledged, independent hospitals and treatment centres are also making a big contribution to cutting NHS waiting lists, and could do more if choice and contestability were rolled out further and faster.

"But of course their ability to do so is based on investment by private patients and insurers.

"The background to this debate is that we need more money not less going into the health system.

"The experience of other countries such as Australia proves that the best health economies are plural -they have both a strong State system and a robust independent sector, working in partnership.

"The system needs to recognise the need for additional funds on top of tax and provide an equitable way of allowing this flow of private funding to happen.

"Until we do this, we won't have a sustainable way of paying for the healthcare of the future."

Stakeholder Response: Chartered Institute of Marketing

"Patients now have the ability to make a choice between four or five providers of medical services, including private providers paid for out of NHS funds.

"This has the potential to create perhaps the most competitive environment for healthcare provision we have ever seen.

"One which the labour government clearly hopes will be instrumental in driving up standards across the sector.

"There are of course risks with this. Healthcare providers within the NHS will have to develop quickly the ability to market themselves effectively against private sector competition that has operated in a commercial environment all along."

"Cameron’s policy switch is a step towards the creation of a level playing field for all healthcare providers.

"The provision of an effective free-to-all health service is one of the key things the British public expects of its government, whatever its political persuasion.

"Those who wish to 'go private' may still do so, indeed may find it easier now to do so, but Cameron’s switch removes a potentially unfair commercial advantage from the private sector."

"If one looks at the tax break on private medical insurance as “incentivisation” to adopt “premium services” then from a marketing perspective that’s fine.

"Substitute the word “subsidisation” however and you have a radically different perspective. Cameron’s conversion would appear to herald a commitment to a true free market in healthcare services."

Stakeholder Response: Hotel and Catering International Management Association

"The Hotel and Catering International Management Association welcomes the words of support for the National Health Service spoken yesterday by David Cameron, and looks forward to the unveiling of policies making tangible the reassurance given of Conservative defence of the service."

"Given a significant number of our members operate within the NHS and as a supporter of the Better Hospital Food initiative we believe that both Government and Opposition parties need to examine both the principles of, and resourcing  of provision, not just for patient medical care, but for their nutrition and accommodation needs when receiving treatment."

Stakeholder Response: Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust

"Cameron's speech may be lacking in substance and may be the 'headlong retreat' to which Patricia Hewitt refers.

"However, as an organisation that represents frequent users of the NHS in a similar way to Mr Cameron and his son, we welcome any move from any party to promote an NHS that is able to offer free care to all.

"Time and again we have seen polls that say that the British people are prepared to pay more in taxes for an efficient and effective NHS but these views have been ignored.

"Over the last few years people with diabetes have witnessed a reduction in the number clinic appointments, less availability of dietary advice, targets for eye screening to prevent blindness not being met and only a quarter of Primary Care Trusts making improving the care of children with diabetes a priority.

"There is even refusal or restrictions in the supply of blood glucose testing strips that are essential for people with diabetes to maintain their health.

"Yet we have witnessed a government approving the widespread use of new, significantly more expensive insulins that not only show no evidence of benefit for the majority of people but also have no evidence of long-term safety and efficacy.

"We have listened to promises of informed choice of treatment and greater patient involvement in decisions about their treatment but we have seen little action to ensure that this actually does happen.

"While Unison may be right when they say that we should never believe Tory promises to defend the NHS, users of the NHS have to hope for something better for the future.

"We are prepared to listen to anyone who will improve the care and treatment of people with diabetes and other chronic conditions, meantime the jury is out on Mr Cameron."

Stakeholder Response: Finance and Leasing Association

"The Finance and Leasing Association, which is the leading organisation for the asset finance sector, hopes that the Conservatives will recognise the important contribution to the NHS made by asset finance and support our concerns that foundation hospital trusts’ status as borrowers should be made clear."

Stakeholder Response: Association of British Insurers

"David Cameron has rightly recognised that private healthcare helps the NHS deliver its goals.

"The 6.6 million people who have some form of medical insurance reduce massively the burden on the NHS and contribute to overall improvements in Britain’s health.

"But the ABI is calling on Cameron also to recognise the role that the tax system can play in improving the health of the working population.

"We believe in particular that the tax system should be changed to properly incentivise the provision of private medical insurance and rehabilitation services for the workforce. 4.8 million people benefit from such protection at present. This would grow rapidly with a fair tax system."

Stakeholder Response: Governetz

"All politicians in all countries face the same problem in healthcare – demand is infinite but the resources available to pay for it are finite.

"No developed country struggles more than Britain with its largely tax-funded, highly centralised and bureaucratic NHS to meet that demand.

"David Cameron is right to propose lifting the 15 per cent ceiling on operations contracted out to the private sector.

"This could be seen as a logical extension of Business Process Outsourcing already happening in other parts of the public sector.

"This has already yielded tangible efficiency and economic gains. Similarly, the move to offer performing hospitals greater autonomy should be welcomed.

"The existing plethora of targets have distracted inadvertently the focus of front line healthcare professionals from their jobs.

"Yet the efficiency gains that both these measures will yield will not be enough to significantly increase the resources available to the NHS.

"Despite huge increases in public funds, too many treatments are still unaffordable to the NHS. Financial resources cannot come from taxation alone - but the paradox is that public opinion doesn’t want it any other way. Healthcare, free at the point of need remains a popular mantra.

"Small wonder then, that Cameron felt a political obligation to echo Margaret Thatcher’s 'The NHS is safe in our hands'.

"A mixture of taxation and private insurance has worked well on the continent, ensuring universal healthcare and superior treatment to our own.

"At some point in the future, there will have to be a debate on funding the NHS and neither David Cameron's Conservatives or New Labour appear ready to do that."