Guardian article
If you agree why not complain here ?
This is my complaint:
Despite promising not to, before the last election, David Cameron's government has brought in major changes to the NHS. Many important medical bodies and individuals have voiced concerns over the implementation of these important changes yet BBC news does not appear to report these worries. For a recent example, Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the English National Health Service, has expressed concerns that, "the government's controversial reforms of the health service could end in "misery and failure". This would appear to be an important story, which has been reported in several UK newspapers but not by the BBC, The only news item I can find, or have heard or seen, relating to David Nicholson's views is online and over two weeks ago on 27th September (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19751451) Will the BBC please explain why this particular story is not reported and, more importantly, why there is a general lack of coverage in the BBC news about the concerns, which many have voiced about the government's changes to the NHS?
GR
Dear Mr Rogers
Reference
Thanks for contacting us regarding BBC News.
I understand you believe we haven’t fully reported the effects of the Health and Social Care Bill.
We are confident that our coverage of the Health Bill has been balanced and impartial. It’s not surprising that interest groups on either side of the debate might criticise the BBC’s coverage. Our aim is always to give audiences the necessary information to understand the important issues and we have done that over the course of the debate by reporting a range of arguments for and against the Bill. This has included background information on the plans for the NHS and reports detailing the concerns of those opposed to the Bill.
We did not report every one of the demonstrations against the Bill – there were many such protests and they varied in size – but we believe that we accurately and fairly reflected the nature of opposition to the legislation.
An article for opendemocracy.com states that the BBC did not report a British Medical Association denunciation of the changes on 1 March 2012 but ignores the fact that we reported the concerns of the BMA, alongside those of the Royal College of Nursing and Unison, over a long period. It also suggests that the BBC ignored evidence of privatisation but doesn’t take into account a significant amount of coverage on this, including reports about Circle and Hinchingbrooke Hospital and the extent of private sector involvement under Patient Choice. The research did not cover many BBC reports on national radio and television news. It omitted much of our political and parliamentary coverage. The research also omitted regional and local coverage on radio, television and online. Local radio stations were very engaged with this issue. One organised a public debate which was broadcast in full; others broadcast special reports and in one case, a full documentary.
The government’s proposals, and opposition to them, were reported in depth by the BBC’s flagship news programmes, including Today and Newsnight. Question Time provided opportunities for audience members to hold ministers to account, and to question opposition politicians. The PM programme on Radio 4 ran a week of interviews with the then Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, looking in detail at various aspects of the Bill and enabling listeners to ask their own questions. We provided many opportunities for a full range of views to be heard, to enable our audiences to make up their own minds.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your views with us.
Kind Regards
Richard Carey
BBC Complaints
