Blairite NHS boss blasted for sermon on rising bills

NHS bosses were last night accused of making a ‘blatant’ attempt for more funding by delivering an ‘unprecedented’ warning on energy bills.

The NHS Confederation, which represents health service providers, wrote to ministers warning that surging costs mean people face choosing between eating meals and heating their homes.

Health leaders said they were concerned that widespread fuel poverty will increase the number of annual deaths associated with cold homes – estimated at 10,000 – and add pressure to an already overwhelmed health service.

The Confederation’s chief executive, Matthew Taylor – a former political adviser to Sir Tony Blair – came under fire for ‘over- dramatising’ the issue last night, with critics attacking his organisation for ‘picking up the megaphone’ rather than raising concerns with ministers.

Mr Taylor warned yesterday that Britain is facing a ‘humanitarian crisis’, saying: ‘Many people could face the awful choice of skipping meals to heat their homes and having to live in cold and very unpleasant conditions.

‘This could lead to outbreaks of illness and sickness around the country and widen health inequalities, worsen children’s life chances and leave an indelible scar on local communities.’

The intervention follows calls from former prime minister Gordon Brown for an emergency Budget to tackle the cost of living squeeze. Former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith told the Daily Mail: ‘We seem to be coming under assault from the Blair government in exile at the moment. Gordon Brown first, and Matthew Taylor now. My concern is that the NHS Confederation should be talking to the Government directly, rather than picking up the megaphone and looking for publicity.’

He added: ‘The Government is already looking at issues around the cost of living, and they know... it’s a blatant attempt to push their way into more money.’

Another Tory MP accused Mr Taylor of ‘over- dramatising the issue – probably because he is a Labour supporter’. However, they added: ‘The new government is going to have to grip this issue as a matter of priority.’

Mr Taylor was asked why the NHS Confederation is weighing in on energy bills during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He replied: ‘ It is clear that if more people are suffering from fuel poverty, more people are unable to heat their homes. That will drive additional demand [on the NHS].

‘It’s our duty to flag the fact that it looked as though we could be heading for additional demand on a system which is already finding it difficult to meet demand.’

Challenged on whether the NHS letter to ministers was ‘overtly political’, Mr Taylor said: ‘It’s not our job to tell the Government what to do. It’s our responsibility to be clear about what is likely to be happening and the capacity of the NHS to cope.’

‘Picking up the megaphone’