The Big Beast sells out public involvement

The Big Beast in the NHS jungle Sir David Nicholson has decreed that the new PCT “clusters” will take responsibility for public involvement in the “shared operating model” the Department of Health released on 28th July.  ”Shared” in this sense means everyone doing things... 
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Summer Newsletter: Citizen Result

This has been quite a summer for campaigning and the citizen voice. Most recently I got this email from Ricken Patel of Avaaz showing how a combination of persistence, skill in using modern communication networks and helped by the breaking phone hacking scandal had turned a done deal around. It’s... 
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Pinhead dancing angels

In their defence, mediaeval scholastic philosophers never postulated how many angels could dance on the head of a pin.  If they had it would have made about as much sense as the debate about whether the NHS is  ”affordable” now or in the future.   “Affordability”, that inelegant neologism,... 
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Ombudsman Direct – the preferred citizen solution

Should people be able to take their complaints direct to the Parliamentary Ombudsman without bothering with their MP? That is the question in a new consultation from Ann Abraham’s office. Our view? ‘If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Get out of the way’.... 
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Data deluge coming – start paddling lessons now

As part of its much-vaunted  efforts to incentivise  public service consumers (that means you and me) to make better choices and demand higher standards – something MAC applauds -  The Cabinet Office announced last week that sets of performance indicators would be available covering health, schools,... 
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Raw Data Now! What do we want? Raw Data Now!

Partner Craig sent us an email recently where he professed himself baffled on how information on GP performance in Wandsworth got published: Strange. Somehow this got published even though it was never officially launched and was still being worked on when I was last involved with it in April this year.... 
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The ‘C’ words – Gerada vs Dorrell

Re-entry to the real world of NHS reform (you realise I jest here) from the end of  an idyllic holiday on a Greek island far away from flickering television images of rioters and burning dustbins is not a pleasant task for one’s brain.  So I am grateful for some help in going back “through... 
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