I've been meaning to write this post for a couple of weeks, and had no time to do so.

It's about my conflicts of interest, real or perceived, with clients for whom I work.

This stuff matters in other fields, so it also matters in mine.

In the past, I've tried to do this proactively when relevant, as with the ongoing projects I did for NHS Alliance. Those have all now finished, so who knows, I might even start writing about their stuff again ...

My current paid commitments are as follows.

Andy Cowper - conflicts of interest

Text of Robert Francis QC's press statement at the launch of his public inquiry report.

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Click here for details of 'Francis is coming. Look busy!', the new issue of subscription-based Health Policy Intelligence.

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From the Number 10 website.

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Click here for details of 'Francis is coming. Look busy!', the new issue of subscription-based Health Policy Intelligence.

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Today Robert Francis has published the report of the Public Inquiry into The Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Here we go - a new feature, the Wednesday What The Flugelhorn (WTF) Award. The WTF Award will henceforth grace HPI every Wednesday, apart from those when it doesn't.

This week's primii inter pares give us a joint winner - a splendid pair:

This story from The Independent on morning sickness cures, which apparently don't work, you'll be amazed to hear.

No, really.

With acknowldgement to HSJ editor Alastair McLellan for the inspiration (i.e. I nicked his concept), here are a list of what I currently think are the top 26 health policy questions for Secretary of State For Health Andrew Lansley CBE MP.

1. Will GP commissioners or consortia have hard budgets?

Hello. Now as I pointed out yesterday, this article in The Guardian is a bit silly (though not as silly as the rip-off of it in the Beast, which confuses PCTs with hospitals. Doh!).

Professor Matthew Swindells follows his recent interview for HPI with a column looking at recessionary economics for the NHS.

The recession and the NHS

by Professor Matthew Swindells, managing director, health, Tribal group PLC

It is now clear to the NHS that life is going to get very difficult in the foreseeable future. It is just as clear that, unusually, it has warning of the choppy waters ahead and time to do something about it.

by Professor Matthew Swindells, managing director, health, Tribal Group PLC

It is now clear to the NHS that life is going to get very difficult in the foreseeable future. It is just as clear that, unusually, it has warning of the choppy waters ahead and time to do something about it.

The recession in the NHS will be delayed. A generous settlement has been given for the next two years – 5.5% for PCTs and (whilst tighter than they have become used to), real increases in the tariff for hospitals.

The financial cycle

Barack Obama’s cabinet is taking shape, with many predicting that Hilary Clinton will be appointed as Secretary of State this week. The health appointment was made on Friday when Tom Daschle was officially confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary. Rare amongst health secretaries, Daschle has written a book on health care reform, published earlier this year.

Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP's report for KPMG – full of shit when it comes to healthcare

by Andy Cowper, editor, Health Policy Insight

I would like to admit to a pair of biases before I write anything about Charles Clarke, the New Labour education minister who oversaw the introduction of tuition fees for university education in England.