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The Maastricht Treaty was signed by John Major, February 1992, but only ratified in Parliament in September, by Major taking the nuclear step of calling for a Vote of Confidence.
Only France, Ireland and Denmark held referendums on Maastricht ratification. The result of the French referendum, known as the "petit oui", along with the Danish "No" vote are considered to be signals of the end of the "permissive consensus" on European integration.
The signing of the treaty allowed Major to proceed with the long-standing Establishment plan to privatise the #NHS , under the new rules for business, established by Maastricht, where all new contracts must by law be put up for tender.
His health secretary Virginia Bottomley, was a Member of Parliament (MP) for South West Surrey from 1984 to 2005, when her cousin Jeremy Hunt inherited the constituency. She abolished the Local Area Health Authorities in 1993, which was the crucial step.
Bottomley, who was Minister of State at the Department of Health in 1989, oversaw the establishment of 57 NHS Trusts (more in waves over 5 years), eventually 270, with boards of executive and non-executive directors.
She then busied herself in 1993 with the establishment of health authorities; Patients Charter; abolition of family practitioner committees: establishment of family health services authorities; and the fatal Purchaser/Provider split, in accordance with new EU trade rules.
1996, the beginning of the end. Community Fundholding; Reorganization of regional health authorities from 14 to 8 regions. Abolition of FHSAs and incorporation of their responsibilities into those of health authorities. All under EU trade rules.
All under cover of glib "brand" management: Choice and opportunity; Health Service Commissioners (Amendment) Act; Community Care (Direct Payments) Act; The National Health Service: A Service with Ambitions; Primary Care: Delivering the Future!!!
Then came, in 1997, Tony Blair. He was not the saviour of the #NHS , but a very naughty boy, hellbent on money-making. A long story, outside the scope of this thread.
I am indebted to @dalmorgan for spotting my mistakes, and the footnote, but he is not responsible for errors.
I am indebted to @dalmorgan for spotting my mistakes, and the footnote, but he is not responsible for errors.
Footnote: The Purch./Prov. split in fact originated in the 1984 reforms led by K Clarke, & which originally established "Trusts" with a degree of control of their own finances, outside local Health Authorities. This necessitated "commissioning" - with ever-increasing bureaucracy
