Tom Smith on the debate of the day

At 9 am this morning, BBC Radio 4 hosted a programme on the cost of the NHS and the involvement of the private sector. This involved Allyson Pollock (AP) and Paul Corrigan (PC) setting out their alternative cases and former Lib Dem health spokesman Evan Harris and businessman Sir Gerry Robinson responding. The idea of the show was for Harris and Robinson to listen to the arguments and then make up their minds (as if they didn’t have a view already). Kings Fund chief executive Niall Dickson was on hand as referee.

Health Policy Today, 13th July 2008 - Local authorities to hold PCTs to account: the implications of Hazel Blear’s new White Paper Communities in control: real people, real power

Last Wednesday, on the 9th of July – Hazel Blears published a White Paper Communities in control: real people, real power. It didn’t make huge headlines and a very important implication for health seems not to have been noticed.

3 July 2008 - Tom Smith on clinical engagement

On the one hand, the Darzi review places great stress on clinical engagement; on the other health minister Ben Bradshaw seems determined to maintain political pressure on GPs. Every newspaper today reports his comments that in some places GPs have a “gentleman’s agreement” not to take on each other’s patients. If it were true, it would undermine choice in the NHS, making it difficult for patients to move practices.

Health Policy Today - 2 July 2008

by Andy Cowper

With apologies to Garrison Keillor, it has been a busy day in the health policy village.

Parlez-vous NHS?
The Guardian reported a potentially major development, in the form of the European Union’s draft legislation on a right to travel to any of the EU’s 27 member states for free treatment (www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/02/euro.health).