Arguments against commercialisation

The risk is that stimulating a market in the NHS could lead to:

• Fragmented and duplicated health services
• Money wasted on the bureaucratic costs of introducing the market, and on poor value contracts
• Disrupted patient care
• Focus moving from patient care to financial targets

Allowing the commercialisation agenda to continue could lead to:

• Competition and division rather than co-operation and collaboration
• Education and training being neglected
• Closure of local services due to competitive pressures
• Professional judgement about what’s best for patients sidelined in the interests of profits and shareholders
• Loss of important doctor/patient relationships
• Principles of quality and fairness eroded