The frontpage of the Financial Times today features news that the British Medical Association voted against Andrew Lansley's plans to replace NHS Direct with a 24-hour helpline.

But the health secretary is unlikely to be surprised by their opposition to his 111 service.

In an interview with Total Politics this month, Lansley criticises the BMA for their style of working.

He said: "With the BMA, there's an element that this is no different. They were opposed to the Labour government... I'll continue to have dealings with the BMA.

"Sometimes we don't agree, and that will simply be the case in the future."

And he suggested that the prime minister experienced the same problems with the BMA and the Royal College of Nursing that he did.

“He has been every bit as frustrated as I have by the misrepresentations," said Lansley.

"He talks to people like the BMA and the RCN and they say the same things in private to him as they say to me. And they say different things in public.”

At last week's BMA conference, doctors called for the programme to be delayed because they were concerned about patient safety under the potential new system.

Interestingly, also in our interview, Lansley claims that failures of communication “are the meat and drink of government. It happens all the time.”

So with private sector operators Capita, Serco and Care UK withdrawing from the bidding process because they believe the plans are unworkable, Lansley might have to take another bite at his communication strategy.

 

Tags: Andrew Lansley, British Medical Association, NHS Direct