This week has been fraught with health headlines, significant in that – not since July when the White Paper was published, has the spotlight been put on proposals. Although steady in terms of specialist news coverage – mainstream media have been arguably slow in entering the fray.
Mon
- Prime Minister’s speech that public reform cannot be delayed.
- Privatisation arguments arise.
Tues
- Major Backlash, the Health Select Committee issues a report criticising the “significant policy shift” toward GP fund holding.
- MPs describes abolition of PCTs as a “smash and grab” situation, further liken to a “tossed grenade”
- Uncertainty around new public health service reported
- NHS short of 4500 Midwives
- David Kerr vouches support – knowledge sharing will drive quality
Today
- The Health Bill will be read in parliament.
- NHS Chief Executive announces that reforms will mean fewer hospital beds
- Nuffield warns against a patient uprising as reforms could mean that GPs are set to receive “unpalatable bonuses”
- Number 10’s doubts and questions raised about top-down reorganisations
- Unions voice concerns about competition
Yet in other health news we should be eating 8 portions of fruit, WHO guidelines suggest.
It’s only Wednesday and I’m already exhausted.
2020health's Blog 
Greetings, like most people I feel the NHS is in need of reform. The bone of contention, is the shape it will take. Things tend to move fast within the health economy, it is one initiative after another. I really do wonder how many NHS bosses really undertsand NHS finance – which is a very complex animal.