Doctors plan to put up candidates

A GROUP of NHS doctors plan to field candidates against high-profile coalition MPs at the next general election in protest at controversial government health reforms.

By The Newsroom

Published 19th Mar 2012, 09:55 BST

In a letter to the Independent on Sunday, a group of 240, including 30 professors, said the shake-up “fundamentally undermines the founding principles” of the health service. “It is our view that coalition MPs and peers have placed the political survival of the coalition Government above professional opinion, patient safety and the will of the citizens of this country,” they wrote.

“We are shocked by the failure of the democratic process and the facilitating role played by the Liberal Democrats in the passage of this Bill.

“We have therefore decided to form a coalition of healthcare professionals to take on coalition MPs at the next general election, on the non-party, independent ticket of defending the NHS.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, the architect of the changes, are expected to be among the politicians targeted by the initiative.