John Watkinson has won his former employer Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust's employment tribunal appeal against his status as a whistleblower, HSJ reports.

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Click here for details of 'GPs going on a data holiday; no more PFI or VBP?', the new issue of subscription-based Health Policy Intelligence.

We have been inundated by protests about the NHS reforms championed by Andrew Lansley.

A media frenzy has followed the (sometimes parochial) bleating of trade unions - the most vociferous of which has been the BMA - and professional associations such as the RCP, RCGPs and the RCN; all of which have some tendencies to be what George Bernard Shaw entitled “conspiracies against the laity”.

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It's a public policy thing, so the riots of recent days and nights can get a mention.

The reactive instinct is to think in simplicities. H L Mencken had it right: "to every problem, there is a solution that is neat, simple and wrong".

Simple things may be part of the solution. Simplistic thoughts will not.

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This guest editorial by Dr Steve Kell, chair of Bassetlaw Commissioning Organisation, outlines the balancing act of leadership of clinical commissioning.

As we move towards the brave new world of clinical commissioning (currently correct term in August 2011), the role of the GP leadership is becoming increasingly clear. And less so.

Health Policy Intelligence is our weekly subscription-based analysis service.

The eighteenth issue, 'Letwin dons the Miss Whiplash garb; CCP co-operates with private sector lobby group; PAC notice NPfIT’s broken; and Liz bloody Jones ...', is now out.

Health Policy Intelligence is not available as free content. Subscription costs £8 a month / £69 a year for an individual. Increasing discounts are available to organisations wanting to subscribe for groups of more than 5 and 10 individuals.

My swearing detox is officially over, just so you have been warned.

What is this shit?

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Health Policy Intelligence is our weekly subscription-based analysis service.

The seventeenth issue, 'Boyle’s Law proves that happiness is a warm Bill. But how hot? Ambient, boiling or thermonuclear?', is now out.

Health Policy Intelligence is not available as free content. Subscription costs £8 a month / £69 a year for an individual. Increasing discounts are available to organisations wanting to subscribe for groups of more than 5 and 10 individuals.

A Health Policy Insight exclusive
 Impact assessment on policy on GP commissioning red-rated twice in succession as unfit for purpose
 Impact assessment on policy on 'provision - provider liberalisation, economic regulation and joint licensing' red-rated as unfit for purpose once; amber-rated after changes
 DH fails on almost 50% of policy impact assessments; a further 40% must be changed

Health economist Professor Alan Maynard looks at the integration panacea hypothesis, and points the finger at where we need to act to alter the cost curve.

The Americans spend 16 per cent of their GDP on healthcare i.e. about twice as much per capita as the UK. When President Obama was elected, 46 million Americans had no health insurance and illness could bankrupt them: it is suggested that over 60% of US personal bankruptcies are caused by healthcare costs.

Health Policy Intelligence is our weekly subscription-based analysis service.

The sixteenth issue, 'Rope-a-dope health policy - is SOS Lansley Muhammad Ali or George Foreman?', is now out.

Health Policy Intelligence is not available as free content. Subscription costs £8 a month / £69 a year for an individual. Increasing discounts are available to organisations wanting to subscribe for groups of more than 5 and 10 individuals.