Cojones

Over the last few years we have been sleepwalking into an experiment in creeping, partly-hidden, privatisation of the NHS. This has been in the guise of Foundation Hospitals, and latterly a system called aPMS (alternative Providers of Medical Services).

Sorry this is boring, but bear with me.

All this has been done with the facile idee fixe that the market will deliver better services. Politicians (who generally aren't the brightest lights in the house) have swallowed this Thatcherite mantra hook, line and sinker.

We, the frontline workers, have looked on aghast as with each bit of pointless legislation and each statutory instrument is designed to hasten this under the spurious grounds of 'plurality'. It has swallowed up billions of pounds on pursuing this unattainable utopia: money spent on Private Financing (which shifts the costs onto our children), independent sector providers (marginal, risk-averse and ultimately expensive) and other horrors.

The BMA (which Government largely ignores) has finally spoken out. Hamish Meldrun has said what we are all thinking.

Well done, if a little late.

It is about time that somebody developed some cojones!