Letter 55: What do you call a man who doesn't take medical advice? Prime Minister I think...

"Dear Dave,
How does this 'listening on the NHS " malarkey work? Where's your accountability? Yesterday was the fourth PMQ in a row where Ed Milliband asked questions that you have been unwilling to answer directly on the Health and Social Care Bill. I'm glad that he took the time to put such issues to you; no-one else seems to be getting through. Your emergency summit at Downing Street on 20th February - promoted as an opportunity to plan the implementation of the reform - was grabbed by those few organisations you invited as the chance to spell out their anxieties. Meanwhile the Health Minister was being heckled outside by members of the public. Increasingly, clinicians, journalists, MPs, patients and providers have voiced their concerns (including two CCGs this week). 
You still refuse to publish the NHS risk assessment... WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO HIDE? Now I see that there will be no parliamentary debate on Dr Kailash Chand's e-petition calling on the Government to drop the Bill, even though with 165,352 signatures, it more than qualifies for such a democratic discussion. What are you so afraid of? And why the rush? Do you not realise that the less transparent a government, the easier it is to see straight through it?


With best wishes, etc"