RUSHED REPORT WILL NOT PRODUCE LOCALLY CONTROLLED HEALTH SERVICE - LAMB

5.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 4th Oct 2007

Commenting on the results of Lord Darzi's interim health review published today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb MP said: "The NHS deserves better than hasty pre-election announcements and fake hospital openings."

"Remarkably, these proposals are needed to fix problems of this Government's own making. Rather than guaranteeing out of hours access in the 2004 doctors' contract, ministers left already overcrowded A&E departments to take the strain."

"By putting off all decisions on service changes till next year, Labour can safely go into an election without the axe of closures hanging over the ballot box. However, a national blueprint can never deliver the kind of locally tailored and accountable healthcare that people need."

"Ministers must learn to let go and enable local people to decide what their health services should look like."