Reform Scotland report playbook for privatisation

2.32.06pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 10th Apr 2009

Commenting on the Reform Scotland report that calls for a legally binding patients' charter should be introduced in the NHS, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Ross Finnie MSP said:

"This report is nothing more than a playbook on how to privatise the NHS in Scotland. It calls for patients to be given a right to opt out of the NHS and top up their health care with insurance payments if they can afford to do so. This will lead to a two tier system that will be ultimately detrimental to patient care.

"The NHS can always be improved but Liberal Democrats will not support a system that runs contrary to the NHS's founding principle of equal provision for all."