Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper has used his resignation speech to say Chief Minister Alf Cannan wants to privatise the island’s health service.
Mr Hooper resigned this afternoon saying it was his “only card left to play”.
He told Tynwald: “Over recent weeks, it has become increasingly clear to me that the Chief Minister does not welcome my views and is not willing to listen to the views evidence presented to him, and that his views and mine over the future of the National Health Service are becoming increasingly diverged.
“I am now convinced that it is his ultimate aim to try and privatise our health service, and that is not something I am able to support.”
Ministers
Mr Hooper went on to add that his now former ministerial colleagues were asked to commit to an NHS that is free at the point of use, but he says they refused to do so.
Responding to this, Mr Cannan paid tribute to Mr Hooper’s time as minister, before said it is “abundantly clear this point, that the difference between his ideology and the reality of the position that Manx Care finds itself in is a bridge too far for him”.
He addd: “We simply cannot afford a healthcare system that is unable to control its expenditure.
“I have heard the calls for more funding from taxation, but this will simply not solve the problem when we have a healthcare system that is unable to plan for and operate within budgets. More than that. It is clear that the capabilities of the organisation to undertake financial budgeting and planning and align that with clear outcomes is lacking.”
Mr Cannan, as part of a later item on the order paper, saying there are no plans to privatise the health service.
Speech in Full
Three years ago, I accepted the role of Minister of Health and Social Care in this administration, and it’s been a privilege to serve in that capacity and proud of all that’s been accomplished in that time, despite significant pressures.
I believe that real and meaningful progress has been made to stabilize health and care services and improve the quality and safety of services on offer.
Fixing our health service was always going to be a long and difficult journey, one that needs steadfast commitment and a long term view. But sadly, this is not something I believe the chief minister is committed to.
I have therefore, just now, tended my resignation to the chief minister and will no longer serve in his government.
I felt it appropriate to answer questions from honourable members this morning, as members deserve answers to their questions at this critical time, and I did not want to abdicate my responsibilities to this honourable court.
Over recent weeks, it has become increasingly clear to me that the Chief Minister does not welcome my views and is not willing to listen to the views evidence presented to him, and that his views and mine over the future of the National Health Service are becoming increasingly diverged.
I am now convinced that it is his ultimate aim to try and privatise our health service, and that is not something I am able to support.
I have made my position on this exceptionally clear to council in recent weeks.
Last week, Council were asked to reconfirm their commitment to a free at the point of use National Health Service, and they would not make this commitment, Council were also presented with the context and likely impacts on patients of the healthcare cuts the chief minister is publicly calling for, in the hope that, having seen the potentially serious impacts, that they would change course.
Unfortunately, the high risk of patient harm that was clearly highlighted did not have any such effect. I cannot, in good conscience, continue to serve a chief minister who has set out to both publicly and privately, undermine my ability to do the job that is required, to undermine the ability of the Department of Health and the Manx care board to operate effectively, and who refuses to accept responsibility for the consequences of these decisions.
I hoped that it would not come to this, hon members, but it has become clear that I am no longer able to affect change from within the Council of Ministers, and as I fundamentally disagree with the course of action that I believe has been decided upon, I have no option but to resign.
I would like to take this final opportunity to thank all of those whose hard work has made such a difference over the last three years, departmental members, officers and staff in the department and Manx Care and the board of Manx Care and to apologise to the people of this island for not being able to change this governance course from within, resigning is the only card I have left to play.
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