A REBELLION of Tory MPs voted against the Health and Care Bill this week but the reforms progress to the next sitting with just enough support.

The divisive reforms have been labelled by some as a step towards privatisation, giving companies too much influence in the National Health Service.

Those in opposition feel the bill sets a dangerous precedent when it comes to contracts for resources like PPE.

MP for Workington Mark Jenkinson was amongst the 18 Conservative MPs who voted against the bill at the Report Stage on Monday. He was joined by Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Farron.

No vote was recorded for Copeland MP Trudy Harrison, Carlisle MP John Stevenson and MP for Penrith and the Borders Neil Hudson.

The reforms include scrapping 100 Clinical Commissioning Groups and replacing them with Integrated Care Systems in 42 regions.

They also propose to end the requirement to automatically put all health contracts out to tender.

NHS England and NHS Improvement will be formally merged under the bill.

The latest discussions about the bill focussed on an amendment which would mean only the amount someone contributes to their care costs will count towards the £86,000 cap.

Labour believes the most disadvantaged communities will lose out as means-tested payments from Local Authorities will not contribute to the cap.

Opposition groups fear it could see elderly people selling off their assets to pay for care.

Former health secretary and Conservative MP Jeremy Hunt abstained because although he felt reforms were an improvement, they were not as far reaching as he would have liked.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Hunt said: "I feel conflicted by new clause 49. I think that what we will end up with after this measure will be a whole lot better for people on low incomes than what we had, because the means-test threshold will be raised from £23,000 to £100,000, and that is a very significant improvement. However, I have to be honest and say that it is nothing like as progressive as we had hoped, but it is a step forward.

"My concern when it comes to social care is that our entire debate is focusing on what does and does not contribute to the cap, when the fundamental problem in social care is the core funding to local authorities; that, though not a matter for this Bill, has a direct impact on the care received by our constituents."