The Week, 29 March 2018
This week, the Prime Minister and Health Secretary called for multi-year funding settlements for the NHS to meet “cost and demand pressures”. A long-term budget could free NHS leaders to invest in services more strategically. It should not be used to inject extra money into the current model of reactive care.
Alexander Hitchcock, Research Manager, Reform
Reformer of the week
The Public Accounts Committee for arguing that the NHS is “too focused on propping up the system and balancing the books in the short term and have not paid enough attention on transforming and improving patient services in the long term.”
Reactionary of the week
The Home Office for failing to meet its aim of conducting exit checks on people leaving the UK. This has resulted in the Government holding no departure records for 600,000 people who should have left the country. Reform’s research argues that data on people travelling in and out of the country are crucial to make the UK secure.
Good week for…
Long-term planning for the NHS
On Sunday, Jeremy Hunt MP called for a 10-year NHS spending deal to allow the health service to meet care needs in a strategic way.
Devolving criminal justice to London
On Tuesday, David Gauke MP signed an agreement with London councils and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime to allow the capital to deliver criminal justice services tailored to the needs of London.
Bad week for…
Low council tax rates
On Thursday, it was reported that households will receive an average rise of 5.1 per cent to council tax bills from April, the sharpest increase for 14 years.
Apprenticeships
On Thursday, government figures revealed that the number of people starting apprenticeships was down 30 per cent in December 2017 compared with December 2016.
Quotes of the week
“The question is: do we want to approach that challenge in a strategic way where we move beyond this feast or famine and look at it in a structured way, and I think, if we do that, we will get a much better deal for taxpayers and be much fairer to the staff.”
Jeremy Hunt, on Peston on Sunday.
“It may turn out to be the only way to bring in extra revenue [for the NHS]. But hypothecation cannot bring both transparency and certainty.”
Paul Johnson, in The Times on Monday.
Reform’s Week
Reformer Blog
On Wednesday, Luke Heselwood, Researcher at Reform, authored a blog that offers solutions to the UK’s loneliness problem.
Media
On Monday, Alexander Hitchcock wrote an article in Prospect Magazine that argued a new IT framework for sharing information could improve rehabilitation.