Briefing on the Health and Social Care
(Community Health and Standards) Bill 2003
Allyson Pollock and David Price
Public Health Policy Unit, University College London
Published in association with
The Society for Social Medicine and the NHS Consultations Association
A Catalyst Briefing Paper.
Published: July 2003
“The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill now before Parliament provides for the incorporation of NHS Trusts and non-NHS bodies as competing trading companies, “Foundation Trusts”, that are no longer part of government but part of a market.
In response to fears that these changes would have a negative impact upon equity, the government has built into the Bill a series of safeguards which it says will guarantee the fundamental goals and principles of the NHS as a comprehensive and universal service, free at the point of delivery and providing equal treatment in response to equal need.
We are concerned that these safeguards are inadequate, and we explain in this briefing why we have come to this view. We strongly urge the government to withdraw the part of the Bill that creates Foundation Trusts in order that better public health safeguards can be devised.”
International Association of Health Policy 