We have learnt that Coalition Governments get into a rhythm. Every year now, in early March, there is an attempt by the Coalition to change some or other policy just before the spring Liberal Democrat Party Conference so that party members can feel that they are having an impact on the Government. Read the rest of this entry »
“We will scrap politically motivated targets…”
Filed Under (Coalition Government, Conservative party, Health Policy, Manifestos, Targets) by Paul on 16-05-2012
It was always going to be interesting to see how the Coalition government would live with this pledge.
Over the last weekend, just prior to its conference, the Royal College of Nurses published a survey of its members reflecting their experience of patient waits in A and E. Their President was on the airwaves saying that the progress that had been made on speedier and better working with A and E patients was being lost as more were being treated on trolleys. Read the rest of this entry »
The Budget, the Big Society and the NHS
Filed Under (Budget, Coalition Government, Health Policy, NHS Providers, Third Sector) by Paul on 11-04-2012
Whilst the content of my posts rarely stray far from the NHS there are occasions when other page 1 news on strays into the NHS.
This one starts with a process which was the hallmark of the NHS, the Government trying to implement one policy by going against its own policy in another area. Read the rest of this entry »
Last week the Health Secretary’s communication skills infected the wider Cabinet
Filed Under (Coalition Government, Secretary of State) by Paul on 02-04-2012
I very rarely blog about non-health issues but the petrol crisis created by ministers last week made me think about how Andrew Lansley’s communication skills seem to have become part of the way in which other cabinet members now talk to the public. Read the rest of this entry »
Since the autumn of last year I have blogged several times about the rather odd truth that the Government really doesn’t seem to care much about the detail of their Health and Social Care Bill. Since June last year they have been agreeing amendments to almost every part of the Bill (and then amendments to these amendments) with a reckless disregard for whether the Bill still makes any sense at all. Read the rest of this entry »
Answer: When it’s being viewed by the two different Coalition political parties.
Monday saw the Government Health and Social Care Bill lurch further down the path of degeneration into farce.
Sunday saw publicity centred around another set of amendments to the competition aspects of the Bill. Placed by Liberal Democrat peers.
On Monday morning at 11, at the press briefing that takes place twice a day, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said two contradictory things. First he said that the Bill had been amended a lot so far, and that it was now in a fit state to be passed then he said that he was relaxed about these amendments because they were not significant. This is the Prime Minister playing down the amendments and the possibility of defeat. Read the rest of this entry »
As I mentioned yesterday the Government has been using scatter-gun tactics in its attempt to argue its case for NHS reform. For some time they have been trawling through a wide range of sources to try and find support for the necessity for their reforms.
The trick they are trying to pull off is to claim that by being in favour of reform (as many are) you are in favour of their reforms (which few are). Read the rest of this entry »
Does all this NHS reform really require legislation?
Filed Under (Coalition Government, Health and Social Care Bill, Narrative of reform, Reform of the NHS) by Paul on 06-02-2012
The problem with the Health and Social Care Bill is that it moves reform backwards.
Over the weekend I had several conversations with journalists questioning whether the Government really needed a Bill to achieve the main themes of the NHS reforms that they want. Read the rest of this entry »
Who will account to Parliament for all the unconstitutional changes that have been made if the Bill falls?
Filed Under (Coalition Government, Health and Social Care Bill) by Paul on 02-02-2012
One of the main arguments currently being used by those in favour of the Health and Social Care Bill getting through its last stages in Parliament is that most of the changes it would bring about have already started to happen. Those arguing for the Bill say that to stop it now would cause greater disruption than if the changes go ahead. Read the rest of this entry »
Blair’s and the current Government’s NHS reforms – is there any continuity?
Filed Under (Coalition Government, Health and Social Care Bill, Health Policy, Tony Blair, Uncategorized) by Paul on 23-01-2012
Last week I posted on the necessity for the Labour opposition to construct a set of medium to long term policies for the NHS which would clearly see them work with it over a period of time that I think of as ‘the long austerity’.
I received a number of comments from people who felt that the reforms in which as special adviser to Alan Milburn, John Reid and Tony Blair I was involved from 2001 – 2007 had laid the ground for the current reforms and that I should take some of the blame for the current Government. Read the rest of this entry »
