newsthump.com/2012/02/20/cameron ... olby-city/

newsthump.com/2012/02/20/cameron ... olby-city/

After the success of the petition last week, 38 degrees are now doing "letters to your MP"
This is to try and get the Risk Report published.

The Risk Report is one drawn up by civil servants about the risks and issues in the NHS reforms... so far, it has not been made public. Lansley says that's because it's supposed to be confidential and people might be wary of expressing opinions in future reports if they knew they were going to be made public.
What utter bollox.

Anyway, if you want to join in and let your MP know what you think, this link virtually does it for you --> https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nhs-risk-report

After the success of the petition last week, 38 degrees are now doing "letters to your MP"
This is to try and get the Risk Report published.

The Risk Report is one drawn up by civil servants about the risks and issues in the NHS reforms... so far, it has not been made public. Lansley says that's because it's supposed to be confidential and people might be wary of expressing opinions in future reports if they knew they were going to be made public.
What utter bollox.

Anyway, if you want to join in and let your MP know what you think, this link virtually does it for you --> https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nhs-risk-report

Not much point in writing to mine, he's already made his feelings known in a letter to Simon Faull:


[iMr Simon Faull
Our Ref: CN/NHSDate: 16 February 2012

Dear Mr Faull,

Thank you for your email of 14th February. I’m afraid there is a great deal of confusion about what the “NHS risk register” is, some of it unfortunately engendered deliberately by lobbying organisations. Risk registers are standardly produced internal management documents within government departments, and are not released, partly because they may contain commercially sensitive information, and partly because they enable civil servants to discuss with ministers worst-case examples and necessary steps to mitigate them. In this respect, the one produced by the Department of Health is no different to any other, despite attempts to portray it as something both sinister and damning. There is a very strong argument that internal discussions in the process of policy formation should not be open to scrutiny, because it would prevent frank exchanges with the civil service which are necessary if policy is to be effectively produced. This is recognised in Freedom of Information legislation.

In this instance much of the information is in any case available in full in the impact assessment documents which accompanied publication of the current legislation, and in addition in a specific statement made to the House of Lords by the Health Minister.

I also note the hypocritical position of a shadow Secretary of State demanding the publication of a document which he personally prevented being revealed when in government. The vote next week can therefore, I’m afraid, only be considered shallow opportunism on the part of the opposition.

Yours sincerely,
David Heath CBE MP[/i

Mind you, the fat 2@ isn't going to know what's hit him, then next time he comes around pimping for votes

Not much point in writing to mine, he's already made his feelings known in a letter to Simon Faull:


[iMr Simon Faull
Our Ref: CN/NHSDate: 16 February 2012

Dear Mr Faull,

Thank you for your email of 14th February. I’m afraid there is a great deal of confusion about what the “NHS risk register” is, some of it unfortunately engendered deliberately by lobbying organisations. Risk registers are standardly produced internal management documents within government departments, and are not released, partly because they may contain commercially sensitive information, and partly because they enable civil servants to discuss with ministers worst-case examples and necessary steps to mitigate them. In this respect, the one produced by the Department of Health is no different to any other, despite attempts to portray it as something both sinister and damning. There is a very strong argument that internal discussions in the process of policy formation should not be open to scrutiny, because it would prevent frank exchanges with the civil service which are necessary if policy is to be effectively produced. This is recognised in Freedom of Information legislation.

In this instance much of the information is in any case available in full in the impact assessment documents which accompanied publication of the current legislation, and in addition in a specific statement made to the House of Lords by the Health Minister.

I also note the hypocritical position of a shadow Secretary of State demanding the publication of a document which he personally prevented being revealed when in government. The vote next week can therefore, I’m afraid, only be considered shallow opportunism on the part of the opposition.

Yours sincerely,
David Heath CBE MP[/i

Mind you, the fat 2@ isn't going to know what's hit him, then next time he comes around pimping for votes

In Croatia someone has published a website, that has become quite popular, that equates the national economy to a household position (ie numbers and concepts people can understand readily). So, in its simplest it might say the natiional position is equivalent to, say:

Household annual income £13,500
Household expenditure £15,000

Shortfall added to credit card £1,500
Credit card total debt £18,000

The figures correspond to national revenues, expenditure, deficit and debt and relate directly and are updated. Apparently, the public can play about with policy assumptions / tough choices and learn how hard it is to get the deficit and debt figures down. Most people after having a go become fiscal conservatives. We need an academic to do this in this country so the public can make informed choices about the NHS and other government expenditure and the tax, etc ramifications of those choices.

For those who understand Balkan languages:

proracunskikalkulator.com

In Croatia someone has published a website, that has become quite popular, that equates the national economy to a household position (ie numbers and concepts people can understand readily). So, in its simplest it might say the natiional position is equivalent to, say:

Household annual income £13,500
Household expenditure £15,000

Shortfall added to credit card £1,500
Credit card total debt £18,000

The figures correspond to national revenues, expenditure, deficit and debt and relate directly and are updated. Apparently, the public can play about with policy assumptions / tough choices and learn how hard it is to get the deficit and debt figures down. Most people after having a go become fiscal conservatives. We need an academic to do this in this country so the public can make informed choices about the NHS and other government expenditure and the tax, etc ramifications of those choices.

For those who understand Balkan languages:

proracunskikalkulator.com

The problem with that is the "informed choices" will probably not be as informed as you would like. As McLF pointed out in a previous post, many would choose not to pay tax to fund healthcare because they don't consider themselves in need of it

The problem with that is the "informed choices" will probably not be as informed as you would like. As McLF pointed out in a previous post, many would choose not to pay tax to fund healthcare because they don't consider themselves in need of it