NHS reforms
Where’s the outrage?
There’s normally no shortage of outrage in our politics. In Britain today, we specialise in working ourselves into a bate. This is what makes the lack of outrage at what… Continue reading
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Will Hunt’s paperless NHS reform dream ever come true?
Jeremy Hunt has announced new plans to shift the NHS into the twenty first century by removing all vestiges of paper by 2018. While computerising health records sounds mundane and complicated, the Health… Continue reading
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More evidence of the need for NHS reform
If you want to know why the great Labour-NHS argument about healthcare is wrong, read today’s National Audit Office report on the provision of diabetes care in England. Diabetes is… Continue reading
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Lib-Lab bonding over legal aid
The Legal Aid Bill limps back to the Commons this afternoon, having had a rough ride through the upper chamber where the Lords inflicted 11 defeats on the government. And… Continue reading
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Lansley has won, in a way
At two thirty this afternoon, the Deputy Speaker announced to the House of Commons that the Queen had granted Royal Assent to the Health and Social Care Act. It seemed… Continue reading
21 CommentsNick rises to Harriet’s limp challenge
Basketball in America. Netball at PMQs. Harriet Harman, Labour’s venerable form-prefect, took her leader’s place today and lobbed a few rubbery missiles at the PM’s under-study, Nick Clegg. It came… Continue reading
9 CommentsNicola Sturgeon: We Must Kill Britain to Save Britain
It is often said that the case for the United Kingdom needs to be made in a positive fashion. This is reasonable. Less remarked upon is the SNP’s cheerful use… Continue reading
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Miliband can count on the NHS in PMQs, but not much else
Today’s main PMQs drama came after the session itself had ended. Julie Hilling, a Labour MP who Cameron had said was ‘sponsored’ by the union whose leader threatened to disrupt… Continue reading
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So much for taking the politics out of the NHS
So here we are again. At least Lord Justice Leveson had the humanity to give us a couple of weeks off whining celebrities, shifty ex-journalists and declaiming newspaper editors. From… Continue reading
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Clegg shifts into NHS attack mode
The letter from Nick Clegg and Shirley Williams to Lib Dem MPs and peers raises several interesting questions. The first of which is why did Clegg champion these health reforms… Continue reading
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Tim Farron wants competition dropped from the Health Bill
Will there be further changes to the Health and Social Care Bill? Liberal Democrat President Tim Farron certainly wants some, as he told ITV’s Party People last night: ‘If the… Continue reading
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Miliband snipes, Cameron deflects, Bercow bobs
Let’s be honest. I shouldn’t say this but I can’t help it. I’m fed up. The NHS reform process has been dragging on for months, and still there’s no end… Continue reading
27 CommentsMiliband revels in his NHS attack
Today’s PMQs was a reminder that whenever Ed Miliband goes on the NHS he is guaranteed a result. Indeed, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Miliband enjoying himself as much… Continue reading
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Miliband guarantees a return to Brown’s Big Idea for the NHS
It would be so much easier for Ed Miliband to attract headlines if he could shout in Andrew Lansley’s face. As it is, the Labour leader has had to make… Continue reading
9 CommentsAnother headache for Andrew Lansley
The Health Secretary confronted by former Unison rep June Hautot as he arrived for this afternoon’s NHS summit at No.10:
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A question of trust for Andrew Lansley
It’s not too surprising that people trust ‘organisations representing doctors nurses and other health professionals,’ well above David Cameron and Andrew Lansley, when it comes to the NHS reforms. People… Continue reading
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Tory Ministers need to back the Health Bill
Tomorrow’s Downing Street meeting on the implementation of the health reforms is meant to send the message that the bill is definitely going ahead. Number 10 is keen to shore… Continue reading
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Nick Clegg’s NHS squeeze
Andrew Lansley’s career prospects were boosted yesterday — when Simon Hughes said that he should ‘move on’ after the NHS reforms have been implemented. Since then, Downing Street has redoubled… Continue reading
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Lansley’s battle should’ve never been fought
A small war has broken out over Lansley’s NHS Bill — ConservativeHome has three Cabinet members attacking it. I find that shocking. At least a dozen want the Bill killed,… Continue reading
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In PMQs, Cameron plays for a draw on the NHS
How much does it cost to change a light bulb? Three hundred quid, said David Cameron at PMQs today. Ed Miliband came to the House eager to pile more pressure… Continue reading
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