Hospital Doctor magazine has reported today that doctors were now more likely to vote Conservative. The figures indicate that a 43% majority of the 1442 doctors interviewed would favour a Conservative government over a Labour one, with just 15% saying they would prefer the Liberal Democrats to be in charge. Even more encouraging for us Tories was the finding that over 60% of the doctors asked did not believe that the replacement of Tony Blair with Gordon Brown as Prime Minister would be better for the NHS.
The Labour government came to power in 1997 claiming that there were “24 hours to save the NHS”. Since then, we have witnessed wasteful spending, little or no improvement in NHS productivity, cuts in services, and most recently, the disillusionment of an entire generation of junior hospital doctors by the inept implementation of the MMC system. Is it any wonder that doctors have become so dismayed by this government’s handling of the NHS? Today, it is the medical profession who are declaring their future voting intentions. At the next General Election, they might very well be followed by their patients.
April 12th, 2007 - 3:42 pm
For doctors reading this, please do consider joining in and signing the petition http://www.stopmmc.com Thanks Michelle
April 12th, 2007 - 3:45 pm
Good afternoon Phil.I wholeheartedly agree that the present government need a change in tack from the present direction of NHS marketisation and internal competition. However doctors are unlikley to find that with Cameron. Not quite sure what he wants to do with the NHS other than broadly promising to take the Blairite reform agenda even further. This could be why only 43% say they would support the Tories if there were an election tomorrow, very similar to the electorate as a whole. When Cameron comes up with some policies then doctors, and the rest of the country, may be able to come up with a more informed choice. What is a 43% majority anyway when it’s at home? Surely the same as a minority? Back to Literacy classes for the journos of Hospital Doctor.
April 12th, 2007 - 5:03 pm
Graeme
Was not a close school friend of ours once editor of that esteemed magazine? If my memory serves me correctly, neither he or you were ever any good at maths……I guess that's why you work for a financial services company!
43% happens to be 20% higher than the vote your rabble needs to secure a Parliamentary majority at the next Election. I suspect 36% will then be seen by yourself as a resounding success at the polls.
April 13th, 2007 - 8:58 am
Very true that getting 42% would lead to a majority of seats in a hypothetical medics parliament based on 1st past the post constituencies but can never, in itself be termed a majority. Anyway, never forget all those years Labour were miles ahead in the polls during the 80s. I tried not to get to excited then and I suggest we should all accept that it’s wide open for the parties to come up with the right policies for the future of the country and win those votes.
April 16th, 2007 - 3:34 pm
When is someone going to have the guts to say that the NHS is a dead duck! In fact, I bet you delete this from your blog! It was a well intentioned but naive attempt to serve a nation up to its neck in shit! Labour will never drop it – so let them sink with it. Union membership is tracking newspaper sales. The trouble is that The Cameron Club don’t have the balls for a fight on this – yes it’s politically prudent to run with the ‘safe in our hands’ crap in the short term but its a disaster that our party wont tell it the way it is! There is only one party capable of riding the necessary storm, but we need the right leader and front bench team to deliver it! You see it involves taking flak in the short term. There will be no ‘right time’, so let’s be brave and claim all the credit when things inevitably improve.