An important point from Norman Lamb about the NHS
Integration, or rather the lack of integration, is a major problem in the NHS. Although having a diversity of providers is sometimes attacked as evil privatisation that will fragment the NHS, fragementation happens aplenty without private providers:
@normanlamb we have too many separations: health & social care; mental & physical health; primary & secondary care. Unhelpful to patients.
— Andy Cowper (@HPIAndyCowper) July 1, 2014
@normanlamb: competition is not an end in itself; means to better care for patient, not a mantra in itself. Debate so often conflated 1/2
— Andy Cowper (@HPIAndyCowper) July 1, 2014
2/2 with anxiety about fragmentation. System already fragmented, and can commission integrated care pathway. About quality, not who provides
— Andy Cowper (@HPIAndyCowper) July 1, 2014
Fragmentation may not simply be a result of “competition”, but how much “competition” is the answer to fragmentation or other problems is another question, of course.
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