Our interview series continues with editor Andy Cowper interviewing Dr Michael Dixon GP, chair of NHS Alliance.

What are the main opportunities for GPs and the primary care team in the new policy?

MD: “This is the time for general practice to up its game. Current changes allow GPs and general practices a major role as local leaders in determining the nature and quality of all local services available and improving local health. Potentially, they can move from being peripheral to this process to becoming the driving force within it.

Our interview series continues with editor Andy Cowper interviewing Dr Michael Dixon GP, chair of NHS Alliance.

What are the main opportunities for GPs and the primary care team in the new policy?

MD: “This is the time for general practice to up its game. Current changes allow GPs and general practices a major role as local leaders in determining the nature and quality of all local services available and improving local health. Potentially, they can move from being peripheral to this process to becoming the driving force within it.

In the third in our series of policy interviews, editor Andy Cowper interviews NHS Alliance chief executive Michael Sobanja.

What are the main opportunities for GPs and the primary care team in the new policy?

MS: “Predominantly, the opportunities are for GPs and general practice. One interesting thing in emerging policy is its focus on GPs as opposed to the primary care team.

In the second of Health Policy Insight’s series of interviews in the run-up to the revised Operating Framework publication and the NHS Confederation annual conference, editor Andy Cowper interviews Andrew Donald, the chief operating officer of NHS Birmingham East and North PCT.

HPI: How will an independent commissioning board and GP-driven commissioning consortia change the meaning and practice of NHS commissioning?

In the first of Health Policy Insight’s series of interviews in the run-up to the publication of the revised 2010-11 NHS Operating Framework and the NHS Confederation annual conference, editor Andy Cowper talks to Nigel Edwards, acting chief executive of the NHS Confederation.

by Health Policy Insight editor Andy Cowper

There are survivors and there are thrivers. Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary of Government Communications Matt Tee is the latter.

His career in communications, culminating in the role of Director General of Communications for the DH, took an interesting tangent when he was appointed chief executive of NHS Direct. He also worked as Business Development Manager for Dr Foster.

At the end of January, Dr Bill Moyes steps down as executive chair of Monitor, the independent regulator of foundation trusts (FTs).

In this interview, Moyes reviews the financial challenges of austerity and a marginal tariff, and appraises the successes and challenges of the FT sector within the healthcare economy of 2010.

Financial matters

Welcome friends and colleagues to this 12th NHS Alliance Annual Conference. The best NHS conference of the year, of course, but only because you represent the very best of primary care. The best managers, clinicians and non execs leading at the NHS’s frontline.

You are, as Miss Jean Brodie put it, “La crème de la crème”!

The past
Twelve years and a General Election in the near future make it a good time to take stock for the NHS and NHS Alliance.

Starting with the past, let’s pause for a second and celebrate our successes.

Interview by Andy Cowper, editor, Health Policy Insight

Michael Sobanja occupies exactly the position he wants to in NHS Alliance. It’s just not an easy position to define. In musical terms, he’d be the drummer of the band: nailing down the beat of the tunes to hold together the front-stage heroics of lead vocalist Michael Dixon and lead guitarist David Jenner.

by Andy Cowper, editor, Health Policy Insight

Sir Denys Lasdun died in 2001. I have no idea if health policy affected his death, but it is a shame that he cannot post mortem be tried retrospectively (as MPs are currently being, for their dodgy expenses claims) on the grounds of crimes against architecture.

Lasdun is the man who blessed Londoners with the naughty twin sisters of the National Theatre and IBM buildings, knackering the South Bank river frontage for decades to come. He also built this shocker for the RCP.