In contrast to Saturday's Gerry Robinson-fest, the Telegraph today managed to do quite a lot better by getting Professor Nick Bosanquet of Imperial and Reform, to give a much more reasoned critique.

Nick suggests six reforms, which are:
1. clarify NHS spending much better - ensure all NHS organisations, and particularly commissioning bodies (which as of 2010 will be all PCTs will remain)

Oh ... for fuck's sake.

Really.

For. Fuck's. Sake.

Sigh. There I was this morning, browsing the day's news, and the Daily Telegraph chose to piss on the chips of my day, with an opinion piece for zombie for self-love Gerry Robinson, once again telling us how to fix the NHS. Because it really worked brilliantly the last couple of times.

Hello. A fairly brief one today - the FT has some very thoughtful features on health, which are well worth a read.

Kings Fund seminar: Obama’s healthcare challenge - what can the UK and the US learn from each other?

Introducing the debate and speakers Simon Stevens and Chris Ham, Kings Fund chief executive Niall Dixon noted the appropriate venue name – the Burdett Room, named for the reformer who introduced benchmarking of hospital performance in the 19th century.

Simon Stevens, UnitedHealth
Why should the UK care about US healthcare system when there’s so much wrong and needing to change? Because:

Good morning, and apologies for the short interruption in normal service. I have been “out in the field” (see Edge Of Darkness for an explanation).

Anyway, I am now back from the field, and I hope you are well. I am fine, thanks for asking.

Since my last post, there have been various helpings of new Maynard Doctrine on here, and a plethora of other events.

Good evening. The unavoidable and sad news of the death early this morning of Opposition Leader David Cameron’s son Ivan, aged 6, casts a long shadow over today’s NHS and political news.

The House of Commons was near to its best in the condolences, and it was impressive that even in his grief, Mr Cameron found time to convey his family’s message of thanks to all NHS staff who had helped care for Ivan in his life.

Good afternoon, and I hope you had a good weekend. I will add something longer later on (probably much later on), but for now, have a look at the new instalment of The Maynard Doctrine: www.healthpolicyinsight.com/?q=node/264

It won't make every clinician happy, but there is a great deal of truth in Alan's observation that advocating for doctors to be more involved in NHS management is missing the point: they already are, or can be. The point is that the system is not currently working well in reducing unacceptable variations in care and outcomes.

Go read it now.

Good afternoon. I hope this finds you well.

This morning, I went to the discussion event on strategic commissioning held by and at the Social Market Foundation (www.smf.co.uk). Thery are due to produce a report later in the year on this subject. The purpose of this event was to focus the topic and to share learning and experiences.

Dr. Simon Griffiths of the SMF outlined the policy context framing the question of how to improve strategic commissioning in the light of:
1. devolution of central control
2. personalisation
3. solid performance management
4. equity

Good evening. I'm sorry I have been around a bit less frequently of late (various bits and pieces happening off stage, where they shall remain). I just need to have a little say on a big issue.

Good morning, on what is here, at least, a lovely, sunny day.

Today's Guardian brings the sad news of the death of former CMO Sir George Godber (www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/feb/11/sir-george-godber-obituary). Aged 100, he cannot be considered to have had a bad innings.