The 'Monstering' of Andy Burnham
One theme of the current debate on the NHS is the 'monstering' of Andy Burnham. In this, Cure the NHS and the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt have been singing from the same hymn sheet. An incredible amount of misinformation and personal abuse has been directed at Andy Burnham, despite the fact that he ordered the original Francis Inquiry within a month of assuming responsible for health.
No doubt it vexes both Cure the NHS and Jeremy Hunt that Andy Burnham is very credible on the NHS and shone at the Labour Party conference. He also confounded expectations he would moved in the shadow cabinet reshuffle. Jeremy Hunt on the other hand has presided over a massive loss in public confidence. Remarkably for a SoS he feels his job is not to take responsibility for problems (and let's not forget the coalition must surely now stop blaming Labour for all problems, 3 years into government) but criticize the NHS.
We know that CTNHS has pursued individuals quite openly. Julie Bailey's cafe had a "hit list" on the wall (something which the various media outlets have strangely glossed over).
We know that CTNHS has pursued individuals quite openly. Julie Bailey's cafe had a "hit list" on the wall (something which the various media outlets have strangely glossed over).
CTNHS claim that Andy Burnham:
- refused to order an inquiry; not true, although he didn't order a public inquiry
- only ordered a secret inquiry; not true, the first Francis inquiry resulted in the publication of a report
- has refused to apologise; no, he has apologised publicly in Parliament
- refused 81 requests for a public inquiry; not clear where the 81 requests came from - if they are all from CTNHS directly or indirectly, amount to pestering rather evidence of widespread concern
Credit to Gabriel Scally for the above refutations.
Earlier in the year this hate campaign was highlighted here:
http://www.sochealth.co.uk/2013/08/26/fairly-standard-hate-campaign-labour-andy-burnham-nhs-went-badly-wrong/
This has all come to a crescendo this week with the Tweet from Jeremy Hunt:
Andy Burnham responded with a demand for an apology or he would consider legal action. Tweets are not covered by parliamentary privilege. If the allegations were made in the House of Commons, he would have had the chance to refute them personally.
Despite a letter to Andy Burnham in which he states (bizarrely) that he never doubted Andy Burnham's personal integrity or accused him personally of covering up, this Tweet has still not been deleted.Baroness Young, formerly of the CQC, has already explicitly stated that Andy Burnham did not put any pressure on her to cover up anything. The facts are really quite clear.
- refused to order an inquiry; not true, although he didn't order a public inquiry
- only ordered a secret inquiry; not true, the first Francis inquiry resulted in the publication of a report
- has refused to apologise; no, he has apologised publicly in Parliament
- refused 81 requests for a public inquiry; not clear where the 81 requests came from - if they are all from CTNHS directly or indirectly, amount to pestering rather evidence of widespread concern
Credit to Gabriel Scally for the above refutations.
Earlier in the year this hate campaign was highlighted here:
http://www.sochealth.co.uk/2013/08/26/fairly-standard-hate-campaign-labour-andy-burnham-nhs-went-badly-wrong/
This has all come to a crescendo this week with the Tweet from Jeremy Hunt:
Shocking revelations on @andyburnhammp’s attempts to cover-up failing hospitals. We’re legislating to make sure this can never happen again.
Andy Burnham responded with a demand for an apology or he would consider legal action. Tweets are not covered by parliamentary privilege. If the allegations were made in the House of Commons, he would have had the chance to refute them personally.
Despite a letter to Andy Burnham in which he states (bizarrely) that he never doubted Andy Burnham's personal integrity or accused him personally of covering up, this Tweet has still not been deleted.Baroness Young, formerly of the CQC, has already explicitly stated that Andy Burnham did not put any pressure on her to cover up anything. The facts are really quite clear.
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