Dr Tim Evans
The Institute of Economic Affairs has today published an excellent new book by Dr. Helen Evans – the director of Nurses for Reform called;
‘Sixty Years On: Who Cares for the NHS?’ this excellent work lays bare the private views of a large number of the country’s most senior health politicians, advisers, academics and journalists.
It makes clear that when speaking off the record a substantial majority of Britain’s health elite no longer believe in nationalised healthcare. Instead, a huge majority accept a much greater role for markets and private sector solutions.
While the NHS is now charged as being ‘inequitable’, ‘two tier’, ‘rationed’ and ‘costly’, a majority also believe it is far too ‘monopolistic’ and want to see a much greater role for private funding. Examining private funding versus state, an overwhelming majority of respondents surveyed (65%) believe that because people’s healthcare is unpredictable, some of its costs will have to be covered by private monies: ‘government arrangements such as taxation cannot do it all’
This is a must read for libertarians because it shows that many opinion formers are much more aware of the in-built failures of the NHS than might otherwise be imagined. It makes clear that as people’s expectations outpace what the state can deliver, behind the scenes, opinion formers are starting to seriously consider radical market alternatives.