I don’t know enough about the NHS or the bill to say anything useful about it, but I am opposed to it based on the comments from expert bodies and individuals that do. But I am struck by the parallels to the “There is No Alternative” rhetoric about HE funding.
Compare:
“To those people who doubt what we are doing I would say, because of the pressures we are facing, we cannot afford not to reform the NHS.” – Andrew Lansley
with
“The current system of funding for higher education is no longer fit for purpose” – David Willetts
The second quote was fundamentally questioned this week via a report by HEFCE on the financial health of the HE sector. In 2010-11 the sector ran a £1000m operating surplus, the highest on record and a little over 4% of the total government income. And damningly, HEFCE cite the new model as providing a need for retrenchment and savings rather than a new golden era for universities and colleges.
“Despite there being uncertainty about the future government policy for higher education, in particular student number controls, there is strong evidence that the sector is financially well prepared for the new funding system” (para 50.).
And already we know that institutions will face a real terms cut in fee income the following year.
Many commentators and experts (and even me!) have been saying this for nearly two years. Sadly we have been proven right.It seems it is not the current system of funding that is not fit for purpose. It is the new one.
Expert opinion seems to say the same about the NHS reforms. It is possible, though unlikely, that the NHS Bill may still be rejected at this late stage. In comparison the HE Bill was rejected without a fight though the damage has already been done.
I hope that the same will not be said about the NHS, either with or without the bill.
post represents my own opinions only, and is available under a CC-BY license.
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