I’m shortly going off to vote. I’m voting today on what is called an Opposition Day Motion. It’s not a bit of Parliamentary business that's going to lead to any legislation or lead to anything much but is an opportunity for the opposition parties, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to raise subjects of concern for them and try and score some political points off the government. Today we’re discussing the reconfiguration of acute hospital care. It’s a Conservative Party motion, so they are going to try to make some political capital out of the changes that are taking place in the health service. What the government will be arguing is that medical technology is changing very fast, and that as a result, doctors are suggesting that certain specialist services are concentrated in certain hospitals and that will have implications on other hospitals. The government is saying we are trying to do the best for the patients and give the most up to date care and treatment possible. The Conservatives are trying to show that this is mismanagement of the health service and then there will be a vote. Probably, the government will win, not always, but probably in this case, I think they will. I think the government is pretty confident about the strength of what we’re doing for the National Health Service, whatever the short term problems, and I’m going to go off and do my democratic duty and vote. |