It happens more regularly than the startled headlines suggest. An earthquake somewhere in England rattles the crockery and wakes up citizens in the middle of the night. Later, many miles away, we read our newspapers, shake our heads in that ‘well I never’ sort of way, and get on with our day. But something truly seismic… Read More Blog: £6bn health tremors in Greater Manchester shake up national debate
The Shard went up (officially). And the NHS Commissioning Board Draft Mandate came down from on high. All on the same day. Add the odd torrential downpour with its associated misery and these could be Biblical times. I have come to the conclusion that it is my fate to be locked away somewhere remote and with an intermittent… Read More The NHS Commissioning Board Draft Mandate and patients in health research
This is an extract from a talk I gave on Monday to the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Newcastle. I tried to answer the following question: The life sciences are seen as fundamental to the nation’s health and to economic growth. But what is the public’s role in making this happen? The… Read More The life sciences, the public and the growth agenda…its not just about bums on seats
The Government last week launched a public consultation seeking views on the membership of Healthwatch England. Healthwatch England will be the ‘consumers champion’ under the NHS reforms. It will be what they call a ‘statutory committee’ of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and is expected to be up and running by the autumn. Many, including… Read More Government consults on Healthwatch membership
On my train journey from Edinburgh this morning, I listened to a BBC Radio Scotland phone-in about the implications of Scottish independence. The intricacies of a possible de-coupling from the UK are fascinating – from the economy to people’s pensions, to the NHS. I’ve yet to read an article written specifically about the pros and cons… Read More I’ve got a pile of irony to do tonight – from Scottish independence to NHS reform
A colleague of mine put up two slides at a meeting today which neatly encapsulated for me the key strategic – perhaps translational gap – in uk clinical research right now. On the demand side, the first showed the key results from the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) commissioned MORI poll of public attitudes… Read More You cluster if you want to…the single most important translational gap in UK clinical research today
Goodness me the nation’s health must be in peril if the Royal Colleges have kicked off their slippers and downed their pipes to emerge like Dad’s Army into the affray about the NHS reforms. All seems to rest now on those of their number who reside in the Upper House. How peculiarly English but ultimately unsatisfactory… Read More Manning and crowd weigh in on NHS reforms at the eleventh hour
