REVERSE E-AUCTIONS FOR PALLIATIVE AND DEMENTIA CARE CONTRACTS

Early day motion 1676, tabled 16 June 2009 by Bob Spink (Independent). Signed by 27 members.

That this House is deeply sceptical about the use of reverse e-auctions by the NHS for palliative and dementia care contracts for the elderly when they leave hospital; regrets that where such auctions have been used, standards and quality have deteriorated rapidly; notes that one company was struck off the national register of approved providers only weeks after winning a local authority's reverse auction because the level of palliative care it offered was of such poor quality; and therefore calls on the Government to ban the practice, which is undignified and treats vulnerable elderly people as commodities to be bid for.

Signatures by party: Labour 20, Liberal Democrat 3, DUP 2, Independent 2.