Stephen Black's view of the market does not suggest much study or
awareness of how health care 'markets' differ from 'kumquat' markets!
There is more than half a century of scholarship and research on this, on
both sides off the Atlantic; and, while there have been intellectually
creative attempts to tailor the market to the NHS and vice versa,
Stephen's view does not show much awareness of what we have learned of the
pitfalls - during the Thatcher reforms and the Blair re-reforms.
Of course one has to look at the costs and benefits of rival
approaches ie of the market and of a planning alternative....in the real
world as well as in theory. That was the point of my Editorial. All I can
say is, to quote the late Michael Foot, "I am sorry that my instructive
hyperbole has fallen on such stony ground"!
Rapid Response:
Final Comment by the Author in this Controversy!
Stephen Black's view of the market does not suggest much study or
awareness of how health care 'markets' differ from 'kumquat' markets!
There is more than half a century of scholarship and research on this, on
both sides off the Atlantic; and, while there have been intellectually
creative attempts to tailor the market to the NHS and vice versa,
Stephen's view does not show much awareness of what we have learned of the
pitfalls - during the Thatcher reforms and the Blair re-reforms.
Of course one has to look at the costs and benefits of rival
approaches ie of the market and of a planning alternative....in the real
world as well as in theory. That was the point of my Editorial. All I can
say is, to quote the late Michael Foot, "I am sorry that my instructive
hyperbole has fallen on such stony ground"!
Calum Paton
Keele University
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests