Wednesday 11 July 2012

Over 70 MPs Connected to Companies Involved in Private Healthcare

In total 76 MPs have recent past or present financial links to companies or individuals involved in private healthcare. Of them, 61 are Conservative MPs, 8 are Labour MPs, and 4 are Liberal Democrats, leaving 1 other from the Bishops. This means, 81% of MPs with these links are Conservative.


The Members financial interests represent every stage of the healthcare value chain from advisors to private equity firms funding the private healthcare companies, to having shares in those same companies.

They are Chairman of estate companies involved in PFI deals, partners in legal firms that make those deals, advisors to private hospitals, they represent companies in pharmaceutical media, medical equipment, care homes, lobbying, and insurance. You name it, they have it covered and the list of vested interests in both the Commons and the Lords is so great, that it can best be described as a healthcare coup d’état of our parliamentary institutions.

These parliamentarians coupled with the 142 Lords with the same interests, make a total of 206 parliamentarians with financial links to companies involved in healthcare.

All of these public servants were allowed to vote on the Health and Social Care bill, helping it pass into Act.

Recent released research by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has revealed 124 members of the House of Lords ‘benefit’ from the financial industry.

Several of these Peers are linked to the Healthcare companies and many of these companies will be funding the private healthcare companies that threaten the very existence of the NHS.

The House of Lords is an open house for companies to attach themselves to key public servants, lobbying and influencing policy that affects our lives.

An e-petition has been set up which is here - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44971 - if you can please sign it to stop Lords voting on their own interests, this would go some way to make this behaviour less easy. 


This list has recently been checked and is up-to-date as of Feb 2013

MPs

Conservatives:

1. David Cameron: Nursing and care home tycoon Dolar Popat has given the Conservatives £209,000. The Ugandan-born dad-of-three has amassed an estimated £42million fortune as founder and chief of TLC Group, which provides services for the elderly. Mr Cameron made the businessman a peer shortly after entering No10 in May 2010, and Lord Popat’s donations include a £25,000 gift registered a week after the Tories’ health reforms were unveiled last July.

2. Andrew Lansley: Architect of the Health and Social Care bill - John Nash, the chairman of Care UK, gave £21,000 to fund Andrew Lansley’s personal office in November 2009. In a recent interview, a senior director of the firm said that 96 per cent of Care UK’s business, which amounted to more than £400 million last year, came from the NHS. - Hedge fund boss John Nash is one of the major Conservative donors with close ties to the healthcare industry.

He and wife Caroline gave £203,500 to the party over the past five years. The “hedgie” is also a founder of City firm Sovereign Capital, which runs a string of private healthcare firms. Fellow founder Ryan Robson is another major Tory donor who has given the party £252,429.45. His donations included £50,000 to be a member of the party’s “Leader’s Group”, a secretive cash-for-access club. The would-be MP, who tried but failed to get selected as the election candidate in Bracknell, is managing partner at Sovereign Capital. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2011/01/19/nhs-reform-leaves-tory-backers-with-links-to-private-healthcare-firms-set-for-bonanza-115875-22859373/

In 2008 Andrew Lansley received a donation from Julian Schild used to support his office in his capacity as Shadow secretary for health. Julian Schild’s family made £184million in 2006 by selling hospital bed-makers Huntleigh Technology.


Andrew Lansley’s wife, Sally Low, is founder and managing director of Low Associates (“We make the link between the public and private sectors”). A Daily Telegraph report in February records that the Low Associates website lists pharmaceuticals companies SmithKline Beecham, Unilever and P&G among its clients. It also records Ms Low’s assertion that the company “does not work with any client who has interests in the health sector”. The website currently contains no reference to the drug firms listed above. http://www.channel4.com/news/andrew-lansleys-nhs-plans-still-in-good-health

Circle the ambitious private healthcare firm run and owned by clinicians, has recruited a former aide to health secretary Andrew Lansley as head of communications. Christina Lineen spent two years working for Lansley, who became health secretary after the general election. The company’s income is derived from private patients, either on insurance schemes or paying for themselves, but it also treats NHS patients. - http://www.publicaffairsnews.com/no_cache/home/uk-news/news-detail/newsarticle/private-healthcare-firm-circle-recruits-ex-lansley-aide-to-head-comms/2/?tx_ttnews

Lansley was a paid director of the marketing agency Profero, who had Diageo Guiness as one of their clients. He gave up the director ship in 2009. In 2008, a senior NHS executive appearing in a commons committee, accused Daigeo of flouting voluntary agreements on responsible drinking labelling. In 2010 Lansley invited fast food companies and Diageo in for discussions on how to tackle obseity, and binge drinking. In 2011 Diageo were given responsibility to pay for training to offer advice on the dangers of alcohol. No, you couldn't make it up.

3. Harriet Baldwin: Conservative MP for West Worcestershire. Former managing director of JP Morgan Asset Management. JP Morgan is a major player in healthcareAccording to their website they serve: 1,100 hospitals, 10 of the top 10 health insurers, thousands of physicians groups, top five pharmacy benefit managers, six of the top eight pharmacy retailers.

4. Gregory Barker: MP for Bexhill and Battle. In 2008 held shares in HR company Penna plc. In February, HFMA and Penna plc partnered to deliver HR services to the NHS - Was an operating advisor to Pegasus Capital Advisors, LP, a private equity firm with health companies in their portfolio. Had shares in Quester VCT 5 plc a venture Capital with multiple investments in healthcare companies. 

5. Jake Berry: MP for Rossendale and Darwen. Has registered interests in Top legal 500 firm Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (UK) LLP, as a consultant advising on client services, business development and on other specific matters. They work with multiple NHS trusts and local authorities regarding PFI and PPP programs.  
6. Simon Burns: Chelmsford MP - attended an oncology conference paid for by Aventis Pharma - a five-day trip to the US funded by a leading drug firm.

7. Nick de Bois: MP for Enfield North - De Bois is the majority shareholder in Rapier Design Group, an events management company heavily involved with the private medical and pharmaceutical industries, and whose clients include leading names such as AstraZeneca. The company was established by the Tory MP in 1998. Last year it had a turnover of £13m. Last April, Rapier Design purchased Hampton Medical Conferences to “strengthen the company’s position in the medical sector”. It is involved in running conferences and other events for private-sector clients, and for NHS hospitals. 

A number of the company’s clients are “partners” of the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC), a lobby group supporting the health secretary’s plans. Rapier Design Group’s biggest clients stand to profit when the NHS is opened up to wider private-sector involvement. The GP commissioning consortium for south-west Kent, covering 49 GP practices and known as Salveo, has already signed a contract with the pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca aimed at improving diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/may/29/lansley-ally-shareholding-lobby-firm

8. Graham Brady: MP for Altrincham and Sale Former advisor on marketing and business strategy to PA Consulting, a management consultancy company. PA Consulting have worked with the new Clinical Commissioning Groups. Other NHS involvement includes, training, helping commissioners in North-East London, performance management. The company is not without criticism having lost a memory stick containing details of thousands of convicted people.

9.
Andrew Bridgen: MP for North West Leicestershire - Non-executive chairman of fresh vegetable distributor company AB produce PLC. The company is listed on the NHS supply chain. In June 2011, Mr Bridgen claimed critics of the NHS reforms were made up of 'Stalinist protectionist elements.'

10.
Steve Brine – Mp for Winchester – According to the electoral register, received £14,999 in three separate payments £5,000 19/01/2011, £4,999 17/04/2012, £5,000 22/03/2013 from Mr James R Lupton who was appointed Conservative party Co-Treasurer in February this year, has also given £350,000 to Conservative central party in last three years.  He is Chairman of investment bankers, Greenhill Europe, who have considerable transaction experience and a global network of corporate relationships in the Healthcare sector.

11. Aidan Burley: MP for Cannock Chase: Received six bottles of wine from Hitachi consultants for a short speech he gave to a group of consultants on 11th March 2011. Hitachi Consulting UK is a leading government consulting company with an 18-year track record in the UK. They have extensive knowledge of the public sector, and many of their consultants have experience in the NHS. In 2010, they announced the completion of a delivery portal for Commissioning support for London (CSL). The creation of the new secure online portal provides National Health Service (NHS) commissioners with access to a set of tools to help them monitor how their providers are performing. This is another example of private company benefitting from the privatisation reforms of the NHS.

12.
-->Damian Collins: MP for Folkstone and Hythe – Between 1999 and 2008 Mr Collins worked for marketing agency M&C Saatchi. M&C Saatchi clients include PPP healthcare, AXA insurance, Astrazeneca, Pfizer and Merck. See Lord Saatchi section. In 2008 he joined Lexington Communications as a senior Counsel before leaving to become a MP. Lexington Communications have a healthcare section, which says ‘With the NHS never far from the headlines, our dedicated team of healthcare communications consultants can advise you on how to successfully interact with a diverse range of stakeholders - in Westminster, Whitehall, the reformed NHS, across the patient group community and in the private sector – to help achieve your goals… Help you build relationships with influencers at a national level.’

They have multiple fee-paying public consultancy clients in healthcare.

13. David Davis: MP for Haltemprice and Howden: Received a payment of £4,250 for a 6hr speaking engagement for Civica. (Registered 14 February 2012) Civica supplies software and IT solutions to over 250 NHS trusts in the UK. More than 70 NHS Commissioners use Civica Health & Social Care's industry standard SLAM NHS Commissioning software to help manage service level agreements with providers, including Payment by Results, local tariffs, local agreements, block payments and other variants.

14. Jonathan Djanogly: MP for Huntingdon - His office received payment of £1,900 on 01/11/2001 and declared it on 30/01/2002 from Huntleigh Healthcare Ltd, 310-312 Dallow Road, Luton. The company manufactures medical, orthopedic equipment and instruments for measuring and is part of Huntleigh International Holdings Limited of the same address. They are a member of the Getinge Group, a Swedish based group of companies who are split between Healthcare and Life sciences. The acquisition of Huntleigh by Getinge took place in 2007. In 2008, he had shares in private healthcare company Medicsight, and private health insurance Aviva PLC. In 2008 had shares in WPP Group, a marketing giant in healthcare.

15. Iain Duncan-Smith: MP for Chingford and Woodford Green. Has shares in hygiene technology company Byotrol plc, though no dividend received, which sells products to the NHS. 

16. Philip Dunne: MP for Ludlow. In 2008 was a non-executive director for investment Baronsmead VCT 4 plc, and has shareholdings in the company, which according to its second-half 2011 report, has multiple investments in private healthcare companies including Vectura Group plc, Alere Inc, who work with many PCTs including the 'healthcheck programme,' and Tristel plc, a leading provider of infection control products into the NHS. Healthcare & Education make up 9% of investments.

17. Michael Fallon: MP for Sevenoaks – Former Director of Attendo AB - 2008 to 2013 – a Swedish private health company offering care and social care. The register of interests show, he receives an annual fee of £13,954.88 net, for approximately 20hrs work. Bridgepoint the private equity firm which acquired Care UK, whose chairman John Nash bankrolled Andrew Lansley’s office just prior to the takeover, has also invested in Attendo AB. Will they get contracts in the UK if the bill? Judging by this list of scandals, lets hope not.

18. Mark Field: MP for Cities of London and Westminster. Board Advisor to Ellwood and Atfield; a specialist recruitment firm in the public affairs and communications sector. They recruit for NHS positions as well as private healthcare. The MPs role includes, amongst other things includes; ‘introducing the company to opportunities.’ Company recruits for some public affairs positions in the NHS. In addition they are currently seeking an interim government affairs Officer, healthcare. The job involves working with ‘Government, regulators and other stakeholders to help promote and influence the healthcare industry within the UK.’ 

The press release announcing Mark Field's appointment as advisor said: ‘His experience, coupled with his political position, perfectly complements Ellwood & Atfield and reinforces the company’s position as the leading recruitment firm within communications and public affairs.’

On their public affairs page of their website they state: ‘With a careful, appropriate engagement strategy your organisation can thrive by shaping the political environment. Our network of contacts and relationships across this community in London, Brussels and Washington DC is unrivaled and we recruit more professionals in this area than any other firm in Europe.’

19. Liam Fox – Conservative MP – became shadow health secretary in 1999 – employed Adam Werrity as a paid intern in 2004 – by this time Adam Werrity becomes a director of health consultancy firm ‘UK Health Ltd’ (now dissolved), while Liam Fox was shadow health secretary of which he and Liam Fox were shareholders. Werrity owned 11.5% of UK Health Group and Fox owned 2.3%. In 2005 a researcher based in Mr Fox’s office worked ‘exclusively’ for the now closed Atlantic Bridge ‘charity’, which Liam Fox was the founding member; Mr Werrity became director, and which had links to radical right-wing neocons in the U.S. The researcher received funding from Pfizer Inc. He claimed ‘she has no function in any health role.’ The researcher was Gabby Bertin, who is now David Cameron's press secretary. 

20. George Freeman: MP for Mid Norfolk. His own business: http://www.4d-biomedical.com/ which is a specialist adviser on Healthcare markets, Technology development, Business strategy & Venture financing, working with NHS trusts. Speaking in Parliament on 11 November 2010 during the Policy For Growth debate he said, "The third is the national health service. I know from my own experience that we are sitting on billions of pounds-worth of patient data. Let us think about how we can unlock the value of those data around the world." See Hansard at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101111/debtext/101111-0003.htm

21. Mike Freer: MP for Finchley and Golders Green: Provides strategic marketing advice for Care Matters, a financial planning company for care, which includes in care homes.

22. Richard Fuller: MP for Bedford: Worked for L.E.K consulting from 1984 and intermittently until 2007. L.E.K  consultancy specialises in helping private healthcare companies identify "growth and new business development" and "opportunities with the government". Chairman of Enterprise Care Group Ltd. Listed as social work without accommodation. Appears in staff nurse for jobs for nurses.

23.
Richard Graham: Gloucester - His constituency office received  received £3,000 from Circle investor, Mr Robin Crispin Odey on 03/12/2007. Richard Graham was elected MP for Gloucester at the last general election and like Odey has previously worked for Barings bank, which went bust in 1995. In total Odey has donated £222,000 to the Conservative party.


24. Dominic Grieve:
MP for Beaconsfield: In 2008. Shares in Reckitt Benckiser (See Lord Boswell), GlaxoSmithKline, Diageo (See Andrew Lansley), Astrazeneca, Standard Chartered (Health insurance.)


25. William Hague: In 2008, William Hague was a non-executive director of IT company AMT-SYBEX, a position now held my Lord Coe. AMT-SYBEX is an IT supplier to the NHS. Former London Mayoral candidate Steven Norris is their chairman who sits on the Transport for London board. 



26. Philip Hammond: Is a beneficiary of a trust who owns a controlling interest in healthcare and nursing home developer Castlemead Ltd. In 2008 he had shares in the company, of which he was a director from 1993-1995. The Castlemead website states: 'By building partnerships with GPs and PCTs we are able to offer a range of design and procurement solutions in particular via the 3PD (Third Party Developer) route...Castlemead has an excellent reputation for working with the NHS and as a long term investor in the sector, endeavours to build a positive working partnership with all stakeholders in a project.’

27. Mark Harper:
Forest of dean: Electoral commission records show his constituency office received £5,000 on 09/02/2010 from Circle investor Mr Robin Crispin Odey just 3 months before the general election.

28.
Nick Herbert - MP for Arundel & South Downs - Received donations from Caroline Nash - Ms Nash is the wife of John Nash who also funded Lansley's office when he was shadow health  minister. He was Chairman of Care UK at the time. The donations were £15,000 in 2008 and in 2009. Electoral Commission.Jeremy Hunt: MP for South-West Surrey. Received a donation to his office of £3,000 in June 2012, just under 3 months from when he was mafe health secretary, from U.S-based hedge fund CEO Andrew Law. Mr Law is the CEO of Caxton Associates who as of November 2001, owned a market value of $217.659 million in healthcare. Andrew Law has given £231,530 to the Conservative party, all but £3,000 of this in 2012. Electoral Commission

29. Margot James: MP for Stourbridge: Co-founded public relations company, Shire Health Group. The company was sold to business partner Ogilvy & Mather for £4 million in 2004, with the Conservative MP Margot James appointed Head of European Healthcare for marketing parent WPP Group. She stood down from WPP in 2008. WPP are a marketing giant with a massive list of healthcare clients. One of their companies, ‘Grey Healthcare Group, boasts having 14 of the top 15 pharmaceutical companies as their clients. 

Quote'GPs, nurses and patients need now to combine forces and ensure that the resistance to change they will encounter does not limit the improvements in care that are made possible by the Bill.' This quote is taken from an article written by Margot James for Huffington Post titled: Tackling Vested Interests in the NHS. She failed to mention her former role as head of European Healthcare for marketing for WPP. ‘I keep saying ‘we’, but I’m not really part of the industry anymore, but I still feel it.’ - when speaking at a conference hosted by Healthcare Communications Association.'

She has spoken at Big Pharma conferences since the 2010 election, saying that “the pharmaceutical industry remained very important to her and has a very special place in her heart”. 


30. Sajid Javid: (New) Conservative MP for Bromsgrove – Received £11,000 from Moundsley Healthcare Ltd registered on May 29th 2013. Electoral Commission



Moundsley Healthcare Ltd run Moundsley Care Village Ltd, which is a nursing and residential care home.

31.
Jo Johnson: Orpington. According to the electoral Commission - the brother of Boris Johnson received £6,000 on the 19th July 2010, to his constituency office from Robin Crispin Odey an investor in circle who run Hitchingbrooke hospital.
32. Kwarsi Kwateng: Worked for Odey Asset Management hedge fund as an analyst who invest in Circle health who run the Hitchingbrooke hospital. The hedge fund is run by Robin Crispin William Odey who has donated to the Conservative party since 2007. Mr Kwateng received £10,000 from Odey Asset Management on 12th September 2011 for consultancy work for political advice to asset managers, which included ‘domestic affairs’. Register of interests

33. Mark Lancaster: MP Milton Keynes North – Non-Executive director Management consultant giving advice on strategy and business to property venture capital company Palmer Capital Partners Ltd. Palmer capital have funded Danescroft Commercial Developments Limited. Danescroft’s main areas of operations are the Midlands and South of England, focusing on office and mixed use development and more specialist sectors such as local/district centres and healthcare. (Resigned 4 September 2012) but received a donation of £4,000 from Palmer Capita, which was registered in 13th March, 2013.

34. Dr Phillip Lee MP for Bracknell - Paid in a capacity as a freelance Doctor for Medical Solutions Ltd, who provide medical cover for events, including blood & Organ transport, ambulances, life boat crew and mobile treatment centres.

35. Oliver Letwin: MP for West Dorset - in 2008, was a non-executive director of N.M. Rothschild Corporate Finance Ltd up until 2009. Rothschild Group are one of the world's largest investment companies and which invest heavily in healthcare. In 1986 he followed Redwood to the merchant bank N.M. Rothschild & Sons, succeeding him as head of the firm's International Privatisation Unit. [5] He was a director of N.M. Rothschild & Sons from 1991 to 2003 and a non-executive director from 2005 to 2009.

36. Peter Lilley: Hitchin and Harpenden MP, Non-Executive Director of management software and systems company Idox plc. Idox provides local authorities with software & managed services, including the NHS Health Libraries Group, NHS Education for Scotland. TfPL part of the Idox Group, is a recruitment, training and consulting company, whose clients include NHS and private healthcare.

37. Tim Loughton: MP for East Worthing and Shoreham has shares in JP Morgan who are major players in healthcareAccording to their website they serve: 1,100 hospitals, 10 of the top 10 health insurers, thousands of physicians groups, top five pharmacy benefit managers, six of the top eight pharmacy retailers.

38. Mary Macleod: MP for Brentford and Isleworth was previously a senior executive at Andersen Consulting/Accenture specialising in Banking and financial  services as a senior executive. Accenture has gained from PFI contracts.

39. Francis Maude: MP for Horsham – was a director of Huntsworth plc in May 2005, a PR consulting company run by Lord Chadlington, and which has funded the Conservative party since 2008. Huntsworth plc are a group of companies, one of which is called Huntsworth Health, who are part of a lobbying group Healthcare Communications Association, who comprise of Communication groups involved in health and pharmaceutical companies. Francis Maude was the person fronted by Cameron in response to Peter Cruddas’s announcement that ‘premier league’ sums of £250,000 will get you access to David Cameron and affect policy change. Mr Maude stated the pronouncements were: "embarrassing and wrong, and not true…That's not the way we do business and raise money, and we're very clear about that." Yet, they do receive money from Huntsworth, a company he was a director of, that is run by a Lord who is the constituency chairman of David Cameron. None of this was highlighted by the mainstream press as he defended Peter Cruddas. Maude was also a non-executive director of Incepta Group plc from March 1st 2004. During this time, in April 2005, there was an announcement of a proposed merger between Incepta and Huntsworth. The Office for Fair Trading decided it would not be referred to the Competition Commission under section 33(1) of the Act. The merger went ahead and Mr Maude became a director of Huntsworth.

Maude was Non-executive chairman of advertising group ‘The mission Marketing Group’. One of their agencies, Bray Leino Vivactis was also established as Healthcare sector specialists and a new expert team was created via a firm co-operation with the mainland European Healthcare Group, Vivactis. 

Another company Maude was a non-executive director of, is a web management software provider called, Mediasurface, whose product Morello CMS is used by Astrazeneca and the NHS.  The company was acquired by content management solutions, Alterian, in 2008.

40. Patrick Mercer: MP for Newark. Advisor to Premier Composites Ltd, who design and build 'healthcare pods' for some private healthcare buildings, including a care home in Scotland and a mental health lodge in Preston.

41. Maria Miller: MP for Basingstoke. Former director of Grey's Advertising Ltd, an advertising and brand company who work extensively with clients in the healthcare sector. Former director of the Rowland Group, which became Publicis Consultants, who are also a marketing company working extensively with private healthcare.

42. Andrew Mitchell: MP for Sutton Coldfield. In 2008 was a Senior Strategy Adviser to Global management and technology company, Accenture, who have worked extensively with private healthcare companies and the NHS. Pulled out of failed NHS I.T. programme, and gained form PFI contracts. In 2008 was a director of Financial Advisory and Asset Management company Lazard & Co, who work in the Healthcare and life sciences sector. Andrew Mitchell who is, the International Development Secretary, invested funds in a network of privately owned firms, which is now at the centre of a tax avoidance case.

43. Penny Mordaunt: MP for Portsmouth North. Became an Associate for Hannover Communications in 2009, who provide services across the spectrum of corporate communications, media relations and public affairs for businesses and public sector bodies. The company work in healthcare and states: ‘So whether you are seeking to shape the policy and operating environment, defend or reposition your organisation, or drive sales and uptake for your products and services - hanover can help you discover new ways to achieve success.’ 

The press release said: 'Penny Mordaunt, joined hanover as an Associate to work on a range of healthcare clients delivering public affairs and corporate communications programmes. Key clients include sanofi-aventis, Schering Plough and HEART UK, where Penny will be providing senior strategic counsel.' She supported the Health and Social Care bill.

44. Brooks Newmark: Braintree MP: Provides research and advice on investment opportunities in the UK and Europe to Apollo Management LP, both independently and through Telesis Management Ltd. The former are a private equity company, which invests in the healthcare industries.

45. Jesse Norman: MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire. Received payment given to charity for speaking at a Quiller event. Quiller Consultancy. Quiller lobbyist George Bridges, friend to George Osborne and Cameron’s former election campaign manager, as well as Theresa May’s ex-chief of staff, and an ex-strategist for the Chief Medical Officer. Quiller lobbies for among others, Capita, the enormous outsourcing firm which has its eye on running NHS Direct, and a private equity firm heavily invested in health. Quiller is owned by Huntsworth Group who are owned by Lord Chadlington. According to the Electoral Commission, Mr Norman received £5,000 on 30th June 2009 from Circle healthcare investor Crispin Odey to his local Hereford constituency.

46. Stephen O’Brien: Eddisbury MP: Stephen O’Brien’s office received three payments totalling £40,000 from Julian Schild. Mr Schild’s family made £184million in 2006 by selling hospital bed-makers Huntleigh Technology. Mr O’Brien was moved to International Development after the election.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2011/01/19/nhs-reform-leaves-tory-backers-with-links-to-private-healthcare-firms-set-for-bonanza-115875-22859373/ - In addition to this, Mr Julian Schild, of London, has provided financial support for research purposes, particularly in relation to an inquiry which Mr O'Brien was conducting on behalf of the Conservative Party into the NHS IT programme. (Registered 19 May 2008) - The MP for Eddisbury claimed the report of his links to the money donated by Schild was nothing more than a smear campaign as the details had been in the register of interests for ages. This attitude that registering your interests is enough and that the interests in themselves are not a problem is common.

47. George Osborne: MP for Tatton. Received donation through Conservative Campaign Headquarters to run his office from Julian Schild. Julian Schild’s family made £184million in 2006 by selling hospital bed-makers Huntleigh Technology. A key figure in the Tory's strategy team has also come from the lobbying world. George Bridges, who now works closely with George Osborne, used to be employed by Quiller, which keeps its list of clients secret. Quiller is owned by Huntsworth, a public relations firm headed by Lord Chadlington, president of David Cameron's Oxfordshire constituency of Witney. 

In 2008 received support for developing policy from The Boston Consulting Group who work extensively in healthcare - their website states: 'BCG’s deep experience in the health care industry extends to having a sector dedicated specifically to payers and providers. Our collaborative network of professionals allows us to share relevant expertise that can benefit organizations involved in the financing, management, and delivery of health care services.' 

In April 2011, the Boston Consultancy Group produced a press release announcing the appointment of Dr. Graham Rich as Director of Health Services stating: ‘We are delighted that Graham is joining us as we continue to expand our team and range of advisory services to the NHS.’ The press release also highlighted the appointment of former labour party secretary of state for Work and Pensions, James Purnell. Further support in policy development came from accountancy firm, Smith and Williamson, who do accounts in all sectors including Medical and healthcare. Additional policy development came from accountants Grant Thornton, whose website states: 'Within the public sector, we advise at all levels of the UK healthcare system from central government to regulators and providers, as well as clients in the social care sector.' 

In addition PricewaterhouseCoopers, which claims to have “been at the heart of shaping [healthcare] reforms and working with clients to respond to the opportunities they present”, are also listed as offering assistance in developing policy. PwC lead an alliance to aid the setup and support for the new GP commissioning groups.

48. Richard Ottaway: MP for Croydon South. 9-11 July 2007, visit to the USA to attend seminars and meetings with elected US officials and policy forums. His return flight and accommodation were financed by Atlantic Bridge and registered 4 years late on 20th October 2011. His reasoning for the late registration: “I have no idea why this was not done in 2007 after the visit.' 'It very much falls into the ‘cock up’ category of human error.' 'It was a low key, short visit 4 years ago when I was an opposition backbencher. Meetings were held with members of the Republican Administration and some policy forums. I have very little precise recall of the visit.' Atlantic Bridge is a former charity founded by Liam Fox, who made a speech to Atlantic Bridge in 2003 asked: “How Much Health Care Can We Afford?” Members of the Galen Institute, a thinktank which promotes “freemarket ideas in health”, attended its conferences while the failed bank Lehman Brothers, sponsored at least one event, as did the powerful neocon thinktank the Heritage Foundation. (Guardian).

49. Priti Patel: MP for Witham In 2000, worked for drinks company Diageo (See Andrew Lansley), before joining Weber Shandwick, becoming a director of public affairs. Weber Shandwick was created and built by Lord Chadlington and has a specialist healthcare focus with companies including Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, and Roche, and also the NHS. 

Quote: Just as history shows that Nye Bevan introduced the legislation to establish the NHS, it will show that this Secretary of State, through the Bill, has saved it for the patients who rely on it.

50. JacobRees-Mogg: MP for North-East Somerset: Partner of Somerset Capital Management LLP, who have Redwood Emerging Markets Dividend Income Fund as a client, which invests in Healthcare. MP for North-East Somerset, has shares in Lloyd George Management Ltd; investment management, who invest in Healthcare. According to the electoral Commission, he received £2,000 to his constituency office on the 14th April, 2010 from Mr Robin Crispin Odey, a hedge funder who has invested in Circle healthcare.

51. John Redwood: Wokingham: Chairman of Investment Committee of Evercore Pan-Asset Capital Management Ltd. Evercore are involved in huge healthcare deals, and has shares in the company. In 2008, he gave speech at a working lunch to Gerson Lehrman Group, who provide access to a global network of more than 55,000 experts from across the entire healthcare industry including physicians, researchers, scientists, and healthcare industry executives.

52. Malcolm Rifkind: MP for Kensington. Member of Advisory Board, L.E.K. Consulting LL, which specialises in helping private healthcare companies identify "growth and new business development" and "opportunities with the government". Non-executive director of Unilever, Unilever Ventures joined with a company called Vectura to form a pharma arm to their company.

Non-Executive Director of Adam Smith International; which has described the NHS as a "centralized tax-funded monopoly". Instead it argues that the UK should "shift the balance of healthcare spending away from tax and more to the individual." At the same time, it says "we need to transform today’s state monopoly providers into independent, competitive ones" - ie private for-profit healthcare providers. In addition they have produced a couple of reports on the promotion of dismantling the NHS called: The NHS need for radical reform, From cradle to grave: The death of the NHS?, and Good sense on the NHS. Included under this registered interest, were Amphion Ltd, which has partner companies involved in healthcare including Firestar software, M2M, & Motfi BioSciences, Inc.

53. Amber Rudd was selected for Hastings and Rye in 2006 and she moved to the old town in 2007. In 2008, her office received £3,000 from Andrew Law. Mr Law is the CEO of Caxton Associates who as of November 2001, owned a market value of $217.659 million in healthcare. Andrew Law has given £231,530 to the Conservative party, all but £3,000 of this in 2012.
54. David Ruffley: MP for Bury St Edmunds is a strategic advisor to Partnership Group Holdings Limited. Through it’s website, it offers residential care fee insurance, stating: ‘While the state can help with some costs, eligibility for help is limited and many people find themselves over the threshold for support so it is important to be aware of financial options available to you.’

The company are a subsidiary of PAG Holdings Limited, which is majority owned by Cinven Funds. According to its 2010 annual report, they initiated a direct sales channel for care annuities, as well as ‘provide competitive loans to people with impaired lives.’ On its website it states: ‘Cinven has been involved in European healthcare over a 20-year period and invests in market-leading, cash-generative companies.’ Cinven is a leading buyout firm, who bought 25 private hospitals from Bupa. Other UK investments include. Spire Healthcare, who run private healthcare hospitals, and whose clinical director Jean-Jacques de Gorter said the use of private sector would spiral as a result of Andrew Lansley’s reform proposals. General healthcare group, which runs healthcare services, and whose group includes: BMI healthcare. The other company is Générale de Santé who is France’s leading healthcare provider.Mr Ruffley also received a £10,000 donation from Caroline Nash in 2009 - Ms Nash is the wife of John Nash who also funded Lansley's office when he was shadow health minister. He was Chairman of Care UK at the time. Now Care UK have won contracts in his constituency.

55. Mark Simmonds: MP for Boston and Skegness. As a shadow health minister, accepted a trip to the United States to look at hospitals there from Bupa UK. Mr Simmonds missed out on a ministerial job in the government. Mark Simmonds, who was a minister when the controversial reforms were drawn up, is paid £50,000 a year to work just 10 hours a month as “strategic adviser” to Circle Health, the first firm to win control of an NHS hospital: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2011/10/26/tory-mp-cashing-in-on-nhs-break-up-with-second-job-at-health-firm-115875-23515038/#ixzz1dJFD7uKw - Mark Simmonds accepted a US trip to Boston worth £4,982 from private health provider BUPA.

Mark is currently a member of the All Parliamentary Health Group (APHG) acting as a co-chair to Baroness Cumberlege.

56. Chris Skidmore: Conservative MP for Kingswood who sits on the Health Select Committee received a payment of £3,500 for 4 hours work - giving speeches to STAC Consultancy http://www.stac-consultancy.com/ which specialises in the launch of pharmaceutical products, strategic branding and medical education.

Chris Skidmore's family also owns a company called Skidmore Medical http://www.skidmoremedical.com/, which appears to be solely selling a physiologic Vascular testing equipment. The company made a donation to him of £7,500 in June 2010 which also appears on register of members interests.

Quotes on the bill:
‘For me I feel the bill is a very positive thing.’ "One of the best bits about the Bill for me was the element of Any Qualified Provider" http://www.parliament.uk/education/newsletter/central-lobby-current-newsletter/chris-skidmore-nhs-future/
For more on Mr Skidmore and his attendance of an ‘Should we abolish the NHS event’, see here.

57. Nicholas Soames: MP Mid Sussex: Senior Adviser, to MMC Group; Marsh & McLennan an insurance financial services company. In a review for the Department of Health of the NHS litigation Authority - written by Marsh Inc, it recommended involving opening up clinical negligence cover over to private insurers. Zurich Financial Insurers said they didn't have the expertise but  the Marsh review envisaged opening up a dialogue which might eventually give them the information they needed. The DoH unsurprisingly accepted the large majority of Marsh's recommendations. 

According to the electoral Commission, he received £2,000 on 11th May 2010, from Crispin Odey who is an investor of Circle Health.

Senior Advisor on Strategic Issues to Intrepid Capital Partners – their website states: ‘We seek companies with revenue of $15-250 million and operating profit of at least 10%’...in amongst other sectors...healthcare.

58. John Stanley: MP for Tonbridge and Malling: Consultant on financial services to investment company, FIL Investment Management Ltd, who invest in healthcare.

59. Andrew Tyrie: MP for Chichester. In 2008 attended the Ryder cup in his capacity as 'Secretary of the Parliamentary Golf Society.' His travel and accommodation was paid for by U.S. healthcare services company Humana Europe. Humana started UK operation in 2006, in response to the framework for procuring external support for commissioners. Won two contracts with NHS Barnsley, and NHS East of England. Pulled out of UK.

60. David Willetts: MP for Havant and the Minister of State for Universities and Science. Former director in 2008, and has shares in Sensortec a company that owns Vantix which is working on a contract for a new product that can quickly detect MRSI. The contract is a Small Business Research Initiative - SBRI contract which provides opportunities for innovative companies to engage with the public sector for specific problems. in 1993 when Baroness Bottomley as Secretary for Health wanted to privatise wards and hospitals. Willetts supported the move, saying: 'private companies will want to change NHS labour practices, and not want to negotiate with Labour practices.

61. Rob Wilson: MP for Reading East - In 2010, the MP for Reading East had registered shares in Vital Imaging, a private screening company. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2011/01/19/nhs-reform-leaves-tory-backers-with-links-to-private-healthcare-firms-set-for-bonanza-115875-22859373/

62. Tim Yeo: MP for South Suffolk. In 2008 attended the Ryder cup. His travel and accommodation was paid for by U.S. healthcare services company Humana Europe. (See Andrew Tyrie)

63. Nadhim Zahawi: MP for Stratford-on-Avon. Is a non-executive director of recruitment company SThree, who specialise in the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology sector. 

On the 4th April 2011 on a debate on the NHS ‘reforms’, When health secretary Andrew Lansley announced a pause in the Health and Social Care Bill, Zahawi reassured him that GPs were “absolutely passionate” about the reforms and described the plans as a “brilliant piece of legislation”.

Quotes on the bill: in full is: ‘Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con): I congratulate my right hon. Friend on engaging and listening. We have all received the 50 or so e-mail circulars from constituents who are concerned, but that does not reflect the evidence on the ground. GPs in Shipston in my constituency are absolutely passionate about the reforms and want to engage fully with them, as do 220 other groups-87% of the country. May I make a suggestion to the Secretary of State? Perhaps we should bring all those people who are passionate about this reform and want to take party politics out of it together with Labour Members on a platform so that we can take this forward without petty politics derailing a brilliant piece of legislation.

Liberal Democrats:

1. Menzies Campbell: North East Fife: Non-executive director of Scottish American Investment Company plc since 2007. The investment company took over one of the care homes when Southern Cross collapsed. His spokeswoman said: "It is Sir Menzies' understanding that negotiations for another care provider to take over the running of the care home in question are at an advanced stage. Sir Menzies has no further comment to make." Approximately 4.5% of the investment company's equity is in healthcare. 

2. Chris Huhne: Former Eastleigh MP: In 2008 private equity company, Carrousel Capital of London donated to his leadership campaign. Carrousel Capital have made multiple acquisitions in healthcare companies including: Axium healthcare pharmacy, MedData, Sotaria Imaging Services, Brasseler USA. Left in because when the Health bill was passed, he was in a position to vote.
4. Robert Smith: Liberal Democratic MP for West Aberdeenshire and KIncardine - Has shares in pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline. Shares in Legal and General, which offers medical insurance.

GSK is the UK's leading supplier of COPD medicines, supplies the NHS. Has shares in Legal and general, which offer private health insurance. 

Labour: 

1. Rosie Cooper: MP for West Lancashire - Paid by Cumberlege Connections for £300 for work with a focus group of health professionals. Company run by Tory Lord Baroness Cumberlege who broke the rules with this company in 2009, by failing to declare it in her registered interests, ran the business from her Westminster office. The company offers courses in power, politics and persuasion to leading staff in the NHS. Five Labour Lords, and several MPs have been paid for providing for her courses. The company is involved in bidding for the transition development of the new Clinical Commissioning Groups.

2. Simon Danczuk: MP for Rochdale -  Fees from Cumberlege Connections Ltd, (See Rosie Cooper). Received fee of £300 for speaking at Fringe meeting of NHS Alliance Conference. Hours: 1.5 hrs (Registered 8 August 2012) March 2012 , received fee of £300 for speaking at Westminster Experience training workshop. Hours: 3 hrs. (Registered 8 August 2012) June 2012, received fee of £300 for speaking at Westminster Experience training workshop. Hours: 3 hrs. (Registered 8 August 2012) 11 September 2012, received fee of £300 for speaking at Westminster Experience training workshop. Hours: 1.5 hrs. Non-Executive Director, providing business advice for Shine-Bid Services Ltd – Company provides support for bids which include the areas of healthcare procurement and PFI.


3. Alistair Darling: MP for Edinburgh South-West: 7 April 2011, He received a fee of £10,200 for addressing a dinner organised by Cinven, London. Hours: approx 6 hrs. On its website it states: ‘Cinven has been involved in European healthcare over a 20-year period and invests in market-leading, cash-generative companies.’

Cinven is a leading buyout firm, who bought 25 private hospitals from Bupa. Other UK investments include. Spire Healthcare, who run private healthcare hospitals, and whose clinical director Jean-Jacques de Gorter said the use of private sector would spiral as a result of Andrew Lansley’s reform proposals. General healthcare group, which runs healthcare services, and whose group includes: BMI healthcare. The other company is Générale de Santé who are France’s leading healthcare provider.

Patricia Hewitt (see below) was an advisor to Cinven.

4. Frank Dobson: MP for Holborn and St Pancras: Received payment from Cumberlege Connections: (See Rosie Cooper)

5. Frank Field – MP for Birkenhead: Is a non-executive director of Medicash Health Benefits Ltd a private health insurance company – he was appointed Chairman of the board on 20th of June 2011. Frank Field has worked with Medicash for 8 years having first been appointed as a non-executive director in 2003. The register of interests says his role is to ‘attend meetings offer advice.’ For this work he receives a monthly payment of £1,030, which according to the Medicash website will be given directly to local charities. What’s the problem with this? Private health insurance companies are set to profit from a privatised NHS.

6. David Lammy: MP for Tottenham: Received several payments from Cumberlege Connenctions for participating in 'Westminster Experience' conference: (See Rosie Cooper). January 2011, received fee of £229.70 for participating in the King’s Fund ‘High Potential Executive’ Programme. King’s Fund are a charity that ‘shapes NHS policy and practice, provides NHS leadership development and information, and hosts health care events.’

7. Owen Smith: MP for Pontypridd. A former UK lobbyist for the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, where he was head of government affairs from 2005-2007. Director of Corporate Affairs and Health Economics for the UK’s biggest biotechnology company Amgen Ltd from 2008–09.

8. Gisela Suart: MP for Birmingham, Egbaston - Speaking at seminars for Cumberlege Connections. (See Rosie Cooper). Her Cumberlege Connections work includes: Payment of £350 for taking part in workshop. Hours: 2 hrs. Payment of £900 for taking part in workshop in Winchester. Payment of £1,900 for NHS leadership programme. Hours: 2 days. (Registered 6 April 2012). Payment of £300 for parliamentary programme workshop. Hours: 2 hrs. (Registered 6 April 2012.

9. Shaun Woodward: Shares in J Sainsbury PLC. Sainsbury run pharmacies and provide food for the NHS

Other parties: 

1. Dr Alasdair McDonnell: MP for Belfast South for Social Democrat and Labour party – has shares in Medevol, a small clinical trials company. 

Ex MPs:

Charles Clarke - Former Labour MP for Norwich South - Promoted charging for 'peripheral treatments'. In 2008 register of interests was listed as a consultant to commercial firm Beachcroft LLP, which offers incisive analysis on the full range of government, parliamentary and regulatory matters in the health sector. In 2008, was registered as a consultant to KPMG LLP, on the future of public service reform. KPMG are heavily involved in implementing changes in the NHS and its commissioning groups.

David Heathcoat-Amory - Former Conservative MP for Wells and a former Treasury minister, registered a payment of “£1,671.08 and health benefit to the value of £86.17” in July from Western Provident Association, which provides private medical insurance policies. The MP defended his work as a non-executive director for the firm, which pays him around £20,000 a year, saying: “The insight I receive from that helps me during health-related debates in Parliament and being part of the world of work and commerce helps me in scrutinising other parliamentary bills.” - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6143256/Tory-MP-David-Heathcoat-Amorys-private-health-link-revealed.html


Patricia Hewitt, left commons - is a former director of Andersen Consulting (now Accenture - which has gained from PFI contracts - Former Labour Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has been an advisor to Cinven; http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=2382 - took a consultancy with Alliance Boots seven months after standing down and a £55,000 role with Cinven, which bought 25 private hospitals from Bupa - http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/may/17/labour-ministers-consultancy-private-sector 

Alan Milburn, has left commons - then Health Secretary for the Labour party, was a consultant for Alliance Medical’s parent company. Alliance Medical runs diagnostic services for the NHS, including in Birmingham[15] and Falkirk.[16] UNISON reported that services were giving patients sub-optimal care, losing the NHS money because of below-capacity uptake, and pressurising hospitals into using private sector treatments - http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=2382 - In 2008 his registered interests highlight: Member of Lloydspharmacy's Healthcare Advisory panel paid in the region of £30,000. Also in 2008, a member of the European Advisory Board  of Bridgepoint Capital Limited, the private equity firm which acquired Care UK, whose chairman John Nash bankrolled Andrew Lansley’s office just prior to the takeover. David Miliband - MP for South Shields - received £10,000 from McKinsey and Co for a speech at a Global Business Leaders Summit in February last year. Also received a sum of £10,044 from the same company for travel expenses and accommodation in Singapore in March 2011. McKinsey & Co drew up loads of proposals that were accepted into the Health and Social Care bill. Senior Global Advisor to Oxford Analytica a business strategy company   who have worked with healthcare giant GE healthcare.

Mark Lloyd Davies - Conservative failed candidate a French pharmaceutical company gave a job to this prospective Bristol South Tory http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/notw/news/696096/Tories-paid-an-unhealthy-sum-Quiz-over-MPs-private-firm-links-Health-Ministers.html - According to the Conservative website: "Mark is the UK head of the pharmaceutical government affairs and communications team in the world's largest healthcare company [Sanofi-Aventis], so he's already familiar with the workings of Westminster."

Helen Whately 
- 
Former Conservative parliamentary candidate.
 Has shrugged off any suggestion of a conflict of interest, after it emerged she works for the same consultants helping draw up plans which could see the A+E or maternity unit at Kingston Hospital removed.

 Her website states she works as a management consultant specialising in healthcare, mainly in the NHS but does not mention her employer McKinsey.

Robert Key – former MP for Salisbury – stepped down before the last election due to health reasons - 2-3 September 2002, panellist at Executive Brief 2002 at Gleneagles Hotel. Travel and hospitality paid by the organisers, AMT-SYBEX of Letchworth. AMT-Sybex Group, is IT supplier to the NHS. Lord Coe is now a Director of AMT-Sybex Group ensuring parliamentary access.

MEP

Ashley Fox Conservative; was an Associate at Morgan Cole until 2009. As a Conservative party member he fought the Parliamentary seat of Bath at the 2001 General Election. He has been the Councillor for Westbury-on-Trym on Bristol City council since 2002. After leaving Morgan Cole he was elected as a Conservative MEP to the European Parliament in June 2009 and was appointed Chief Whip of the ECR in December 2010. Morgan Cole are a partner in an alliance of companies developing the new GP commissioning groups led by KPMG.


22 comments:

  1. This makes interesting reading - have your read this? http://daniellegreetham.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/2007-destruction-of-heart.html

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  2. You missed Sir Peter Bottomley, MP for Worthing West, the husband of Baroness Bottomley. I believe she sits on the Supervisory Board of Bupa.

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    1. Thanks. Baroness Bottomley is in the Lords list and as a husband it isn't a direct link to a company which is what the above list represents.

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  3. This is dynamite isn't it? If even 10% is true surely the government should act - o - oh no!-....!

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    1. It's only dynamite if the mainstream media publish it or the public decide enough is enough. This list is part of a wider list of over 200 parliamentarians with recent past and present financial connections to companies involved in healthcare. The research was through the register of interests which is available to the public on the parliament website. This list is all thoroughly researched correct as of May 2012.

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  4. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=133269213517274&set=a.133269203517275.1073741827.100005025877016&type=3&theater

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  5. I cant believe i've not heard this before or i would have signed the petition. Why is this not top news ?

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  6. http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_MPs_and_Lords_Voting_For_Their_Own_Interests/?fSGuHab&pv=8

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    1. I totally agree with you that we need a petition against this. However, there is also already a government one. I doubt that either petition will have any success, however, even if they both get a million signatures each, because, as this report shows, all three political parties have their fat fingers well and truly stuffed in the pie of private medical companies. Anyway, the link to the parliamentary petition is here: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44971

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  7. Alistair Darling was also paid for speeches to Pru Health, Apollo Hospitals and Aberdeen Asset Management NHS Procurement in the past year. Source. They Work For You.

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  8. 28. Jo Johnson: Orpington. According to the electoral Commission - the son of Boris Johnson received £6,000 on the 19th July 2010, to his constituency office from Robin Crispin Odey an investor in circle who run Hitchingbrooke hospital.

    Jo son of Boris?

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  9. 29. Mark Lancaster: MP Milton Keynes North – Non-Executive director Management consultant giving advice on strategy and business to property venture capital company Palmer Capital Partners Ltd. Palmer capital have funded Danescroft Commercial Developments Limited. Danescroft’s main areas of operations are the Midlands and South of England, focusing on office and mixed use development and more specialist sectors such as local/district centres and healthcare.

    (Resigned 4 September 2012)

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    1. Thanks for the look out - much appreciated.

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    2. Just seen that he received a donation from his former company this year, which has been now added.

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  10. Please note: the petition linked in this article is out of date. There is one currently at: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44971

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    1. Thanks - I have changed it now. I think that covers all the relevant pages now.

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  11. In Ludlow some of us have tried hard to understand the drive that our local MP has put into securing a replacement 'health facility' for our valued local hospital which has continued to receive positive reports from the CQC - perhaps we can now begin to have some understanding.

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  12. This sounds very similar to what happens in American politics. If you look at any US representative opposed to healthcare reform, you'll see a huge number are financed by, or have money invested in, pharmaceutical companies.

    So many of Cameron's policies are similar to the worst Republican ideas, he's an American in all but accent!

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