Archive for April, 2010
PCTs ‘unscientific’ funding
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 29/04/2010
England is now in its 16th year of using an unscientific formula for funding NHS primary care trusts (PCTs) – those responsible for securing the best possible health care in every region of the UK. In a new report from Civitas,Formulas at war over two sorts of inequality in health funding, Mervyn Stone, Emeritus Professor of Statistics at University College London, examines the evidence presented by expert witnesses at a hearing of the Rural Services All-Party Parliamentary Group in February 2010. Read the report here.
Broken Brussels
Posted by Claire Daley in European Union on 28/04/2010
On Monday, King Albert II accepted the Belgian Prime Minister’s resignation, sparking the collapse of yet another Belgian government, writes Natalie Hamill. With just over 2 months to go until Belgium takes over the rotating EU Presidency (on July 1st) the implications of the country’s latest constitutional crisis are likely to be felt across the European Union.
Shooting-Galleries on the NHS – A Counsel of Despair, Surely?
Posted by David Conway in Health on 27/04/2010
At the annual conference of the Royal College of Nursing of which he is general secretary, Dr Peter Carter called for the NHS to provide heroin addicts with regular supplies of the drug in specially dedicated facilities similar to those established in Switzerland.
Who should ‘run’ the NHS?
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 22/04/2010
Andy Cowper of healthpolicyinsight.com writes up a seminar Civitas hosted this week on the future of the NHS. What should a new government do? Specifically, evidence suggests the market in the NHS is not delivering anything like was anticipated. Why? Is it flawed? Or is it failing because it is being blocked? Not least, is there a fundamental problem: that the DH promotes competition, yet also hails the cultural sanctity of the NHS as a provider system; and acts as though it wants to run everything? Read on.
A Human Right to Health, Happiness… and Holidays?
Posted by Claire Daley in European Union on 21/04/2010
EU Commissioner Antonio Tajani, made the dramatic claim at last week’s EU Summit in Madrid that “Travelling for tourism today is a right, the way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life”, writes Natalie Hamill.
Election Quiz
Posted by David Conway in Politics on 20/04/2010
Who said the following and when?
‘Mass unemployment, crime, drug abuse amongst young people, poor education, poverty for some and insecurity for many, are the signs of a social fabric ripped apart at the seams. Our task is to renew and rebuild our nation as a strong and active society sustaining stable community and family life.’
Clue: It wasn’t David Cameron and the remark is over thirteen years old.