Kate (left) and Sharon Marino

THE row over Health Secretary and MP for South Cambridgeshire Andrew Lansley’s Health and Social Care Bill is dividing parliament. Bodies including the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing are opposed to the proposals which see GPs given far more control of the NHS budget and the private sector’s role boosted. Charlotte Orson asks people in Cambridge whether they are concerned about the future of our health service.

Gail Pearson

Gail Pearson, 33, a housekeeper at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, who lives in Chesterton, said: “The NHS does a great job at the moment but with the population getting older I’m slightly worried that it is not sustainable and it will no longer be free for everyone.”

Sarah Preston, 46, a librarian who lives in King’s Hedges, said: “Doctors have enough to do being doctors without spending time managing budgets which they are not trained to do. In managerial terms the NHS has got bigger and bigger so I can see why it needs changing but I’m not sure the Government is going about it the right way.”

Mum-of-three Tatiana Tuzet ,30, lives in Cambridge. She said: “I don’t think privatising parts of the health service will do any good. Why don’t they give the money they give to the RBS shareholders and get the council bosses to take a pay cut instead of taking money out of the health service.”

Laurie Coppersmith, 65, is retired and lives off Milton Road, Cambridge. He said: “I think the NHS needs changing and every time someone tries to change it everyone finds all sorts of reasons why it should stay the same. Clearly it can’t stay the same.”

Jonathan Corbyn, 25, is self-employed and lives in Chesterton. He said: “I think the health service won’t get any better but probably won’t get any worse. I think a lot of it is politicians worrying too much over political opinion. I’ve used the NHS a lot. My surgeon was a genius but the aftercare left something to be desired. It’s not perfect but it’s better than the American system.”

Kate Marino, 21, and mum Sharon Marino, 50, were out walking Molly the beagle. Kate, who lives at Orchard Park, said: “I think doctors have enough to worry about already and patient care will suffer. My grandparents are made to feel guilty if they spend longer than their 10-minute slot with the GP so they should just be concentrating on seeing the patients.”

Sharon, who lives off Victoria Road, Cambridge, said: “At the end of the day they are doctors and not managers.”

Jane Abbott, 56, lives in Over and works at Great St Mary’s Church in Cambridge.

She said: “Aren’t doctors sensible people? I trust them with the budget because they are sensible people otherwise they would not be doctors. It can be quite a negative world listening to the news.”