CAMPAIGNERS have accused the Government of the “biggest attack ever seen” on the welfare state as they prepare to march in protest over NHS reforms.

More than 50 people gathered in Haringey yesterday for one of a series of meetings across the capital opposing sweeping changes to healthcare provision in the UK.

Dr Ron Singer, a GP in Edmonton for 28 years and now president of the Medical Practitioners' Union, told the meeting at Chestnut Community Centre: “The Government has lied about the NHS, and it is important that we say so.

“There was nothing in the coalition agreement about plans for the NHS, but a few weeks after they took power this is revealed.

“We have every right to stand up and directly challenge the Government and say they have lied about the NHS.

“This is a big attack on the welfare state, the biggest attack we have ever seen.”

Protesters are preparing to march to the Department of Health, calling on health secretary Andrew Lansley to ditch plans to reform the NHS.

Among the proposals currently passing through Parliament are the abolition of primary care trusts, handing control of commissioning services to GPs, and giving greater independence to hospitals.

Dr Singer and other speakers at last night's meeting accused Mr Lansley of trying to privatise the NHS by introducing market competition into the service.

Alan Ridley, north central London representative for the Royal College of Nursing, which recent passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Lansley, said he could not understand why nurses were not central to the reforms being proposed.

He added: “There are a lot of people out there who are not convinced GP commissioning is the way forward.

“We need assurances that the aspects of the bill that are unpalatable are going to be altered, changed, or removed.

“This change is too big, too soon, untried and untested, not piloted, and very dangerous for the NHS.”

Senior cabinet ministers are currently conducting a “listening exercise” about the reforms, prompted by growing concern and opposition to the bill.

But Nick de Bois, Tory MP for Enfield North, today argued competition introduced would be on “quality not price”, and urged the Government to press ahead with the central aspects of the reforms.

Writing for the website conservativehome, he said: “The listening exercise is rightfully underway and should be the basis for any improvements to the fringes, not the core principles of the bill.

“I would encourage the Government to have the resolve to finally make these plans legislation, and make Andrew Lansley the Secretary of State to bring the NHS into the 21st Century.”

The protest march being organised by the Coalition of Resistance is due to start outside University College Hospital, in Gower Street, at 5.30pm on Tuesday, May 17.