News in brief: Conservatives call for independent NHS
The Conservative Party has challenged the government to support a bill that would make the NHS independent of Whitehall. Conservative leader David Cameron accused chancellor Gordon Brown of borrowing Conservative ideas when he put forward plans for an independent board to run the NHS day to day (GP, 29 September). Mr Cameron plans to publish a bill in 2007 that could be implemented by spring 2008. He said it would give GPs and PCTs greater control over the future of the health service.