{"id":78656,"date":"2024-11-14T08:12:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T08:12:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=78656"},"modified":"2024-11-14T08:12:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T08:12:45","slug":"wes-streeting-appears-utterly-indifferent-to-the-harm-he-will-cause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2024\/11\/14\/wes-streeting-appears-utterly-indifferent-to-the-harm-he-will-cause\/","title":{"rendered":"Wes Streeting appears utterly indifferent to the harm he will cause"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Guardian has reported in a newsletter this morning:<\/p>\n

Wes Streeting has decided it\u2019s time to bring [a] competitive edge to the NHS. Yesterday, the health secretary delivered a \u201cbullish\u201d and contentious speech<\/a> confirming the government will publish a league table ranking hospitals in England, after a \u201cno-holds-barred, sweeping review\u201d of NHS performance. Those at the top will be rewarded with more funding and autonomy, while those at the bottom can expect \u201cturnaround teams\u201d and sackings.<\/p>\n

Streeting\u2019s statements follow an independent review <\/a>of the NHS that found hospital productivity has sharply declined in the past five years.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Let\u2019s ignore the fact that \u2018productivity\u2019 in the NHS is an almost meaningless measure that is heavily distorted by the prosperity of the area being served because the wealthy are healthier, are more disciplined with regard to healthcare, and even tend to turn up to appointments more often (because, for example, they have their own means of transport and are not dependent on buses that do not run) than those in lower-income areas. Streeting should know that but clearly does not realise that if there\u2019s a decline in NHS productivity, this is a major cause of it.<\/p>\n

Instead, let's look at the stupidity of Streeting's proposal, which produced wholly negative outcomes when Alan Milburn last introduced it as Labour health secretary about twenty years ago and is now being introduced again because Milburn is now back at the Department of Health as a non-executive director and advisor, and has nothing more to contribute now than the crass ideas he rolled out and failed with last time he was near the place.<\/p>\n

What will this league table measure:<\/p>\n