Bitter battles abound this week, and the world of education is no exception. The possibility of a Tory/Lib Dem coalition in school terms is perhaps less difficult to envisage than in other areas of policy; whilst spending pledges reveal clear blue water, the shared push towards greater school autonomy, provides workable common ground.
Anthony Little, head master of Eton, has captured headlines over the last week with his suggestions for improving education in the state sector. In the wake of the establishment of several boarding academies, Little’s initial reason for not getting involved in academy sponsorship – his lack of expertise in running day schools in tough areas… [Read More]
Once upon a time…
…In a charming classroom not so long ago, there was a happy teacher and a class of content 10-year-olds. Together, they read books from start to finish, empathising with dutiful characters and spurning the villainous.
Whoever, whenever and whatever government is formed from the malaise of today’s election results would do well to read this welcome letter to the Guardian from some of the country’s most senior clinicians who argue in no uncertain terms that large-scale reconfiguration of services will be required in the coming years to both pull the… [Read More]
What do a Swedish accordion club, the daughter of a former Bulgarian minister, a Danish billiard team and a Dutch airport all have in common? It’s unlikely to be farming… and yet they all appear to have benefited from subsidies from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, writes Natalie Hamill, according to the latest figures, released… [Read More]
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… [Read More]
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… [Read More]
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.
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… [Read More]
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.