The Conservatives and Practice-based Commissioning
8 October 2009To anyone familiar with NHS policy of the 1990s, Conservative plans to reform PbC sound a lot like GP fundholding.
2009
Who will be the bête noire of Europe?
7 October 2009Of all the concerns that the Conservative Party are currently facing, Europe is but one of them, writes Ahmed Mehdi. The Irish decision to vote ‘yes’ on Friday 2 October has reignited a much-maligned question: what is the Conservative position on calling a referendum over the Lisbon Treaty?
The Proposal: Abolish SHAs?
5 October 2009As prescriptions for NHS cost-cutting abound, health minister Mike O’Brien has proposed a somewhat radical question: do we really need strategic health authorities?
High culture within reach
2 October 2009How best to instil an interest in culture amongst young people today was – broadly – the theme of a New Statesman debate with Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw at the Labour Party Conference. Whether culture is or should be ‘useful’ in a productive sense aside, how can young people be engaged in the arts?
Bungled hip replacements…
1 October 2009Last week The Times published an article with the juicy headline ‘NHS paying high price for bungled hip replacements at private centres’. The problem is that the article refers to a study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Standards of just one centre; a centre in Weston-super-Mare within an NHS hospital. It is… [Read More]
Germany’s elections – what are the implications?
30 September 2009A victory for the conservative-liberal alliance’ is what you could call it. The Christian Democratic Party in alliance with the Free Democratic Party – having campaigned for tax cuts and a return to nuclear energy – ended four years of an awkward co-operation between the CDU and its rival Social Democratic Party.
More on Burnham’s recent politics
28 September 2009The Health Service Journal has a thorough article explaining the further spread of confusion over the Government’s recent revelation of preference for NHS over independent healthcare providers. Could the Department of Health’s commitment to choice and competition truly be unravelling?
Unchartered territory
25 September 2009Civitas has been following the progress of US ‘Charter schools’ – state-funded but independently run institutions, akin – in principle at least – to Academies. Since their establishment Charter schools have been notable for their comparatively higher success in standardised testing.
Rule Britannia revisited
23 September 2009In a recent article published by the Times columnist William Rees-Mogg (‘Rule Britannia?’), the Lisbon Treaty was given full exposure as a direct threat to Britain’s constitutional integrity, writes Ahmed Mehdi. Mogg argued that Lisbon would ‘in effect repeal all the main legal safeguards of British liberties … including the sovereignty of parliament, habeas corpus… [Read More]
The Writing is Back on the Wall for Christianity, Sort Of
22 September 2009Within the Roman Church, St Francis’ feast day falls on October 4th and is marked by ceremonies to honour and bless animals. When a Catholic church in London’s Kentish Town sought to display in a local public library a poster advertising a forthcoming ‘pet blessing’ there, it was refused permission on the grounds the event… [Read More]