Fri 18 Dec 2009
David Cameron seeks policy ideas from NFR
Posted by Helen Evans under NHS Reforms, Uncategorized
[7] Comments
I am pleased to confirm that earlier this week I had an interesting hour with Tory leader David Cameron in his private office in the House of Commons. I had been invited by him to discuss NFR’s ideas on the future of health policy and presented a range of ideas. Amongst others, these included the end of national collective pay bargaining for nurses and doctors, the view that the state should not own or have any of its agents manage hospitals, a world of widespread health advertising (to overcome problems of patient ignorance through trusted brands) and a dramatic liberalisation of hospital planning laws. On this latter point, central government should have no say in when and where any hospital is opened or closed. If he becomes Prime Minister I have no doubt NFR will meet with him and his policy team again. But whatever happens, he can rest assured that NFR will remain very much on the outside of his – and any other party political – tent. As a libertarian organisation, NFR has a profound mistrust of all politicians. As such, we will remain dangerous and continue to think the unthinkable.
Excellent news on all fronts, Helen! So impressed with all you are doing with NFR.
Interesting… I still have many doubts about Cameron and whether he’s really concerned with fiscal discipline, lower taxes, reduced spending and getting government out of our lives… but it’s good to hear he’s hearing from groups such as this one.
“we will remain dangerous and continue to think the unthinkable”
Christ almighty, do you really think you people are helping? Do you WANT to end up like the US where people are unable to get healthcare? Do us all a favour and go campaign for more tea in the kitchen… quietly.
another good reason not to trust Cameron, to see an american style system where in poor areas there is no care. when my mum was diagnosed with cancer the system responed quickly and dealt with it, my american friends were amazed at the fast speed the nhs responded.
you want to take us backwards, what next , you want us to pay for educating our children to or would you rather they were sweeping your chimneys
Yes, this is good news. The extent to which debate in this country on NHS, the operation of the NHS, has been silenced hitherto by a bogus ‘consensus’ is really quite shocking. I wrote a piece on my Ana the Imp blog at the beginning of last month which I headed Exposing the National Health Service http://anatheimp.blogspot.com a personal and polemical view, but with some hard truths.
I’m not involved in the health care profession but I would like to supprt Nurses for Reform in any way I can.
I have just come across your website and The Micropolitics of Hospital Privatisation
- what a load of rubbish you no idea of the market economy or basic history the state intervention in food production.
If it was not for the NHS my mother would have died 3 years ago – we could not afford the drugs she uses to stay alive.
I wonder how you would feel if your pay was reduced because of local pay agreements.
Alternativly those hospitals that pay more would attract the staff leaving the others short of staff and so reduce their income so they would become uneconomical to run and would need to close.
By keeping pay the same stops staff shortages and staff in the places where they are needed. Have you ever run a buiness?
What are you a Dr of certainly not a buiness related subject.
You are right not to trust politicians, has anyone heard of Jane Burgermeister, an Austrian medical Journalist.
Watch her in interview here
http://www.treanornews.weebly.com