In a previous post – A neoliberal budget for business and marketisation? – I began to document the claim that the emergency budget was informed by the supposedly discredited neoliberal economic doctrine. The recent changes to the education system and the NHS proposed by the ConDem government both seem to offer opportunities for ‘back door’ privatisation and the general neoliberal objective of commodifying and marketising as much of public sector provision and services as possible. In the case of the NHS the plan is too pass a large part of the budget to GPs who will provide or purchase services on behalf of their patients. The private sector is already circling to pick up the spoils.
NHS faces radical pro-market shakeup
“The plans could represent the biggest shakeup of the NHS in a generation, with a whole tier of the NHS decapitated: 10 strategic health authorities would be abolished by 2012 and the 150 primary care trusts scrapped by 2013; up to 30,000 managers face being cut or redeployed. […] By 2014 every hospital will be a foundation trust and all will be allowed to leave public ownership while still providing public services”.
NHS shakeup: Private companies see potential to expand their role
“Private companies believe the shake-up of the NHS will lead to a big expansion of their currently small role, as many GPs will need their help to carry out their new role as commissioners of healthcare. Firms which already have small-scale involvement with family doctors are preparing to exploit the chance to gain an unprecedented foothold in the NHS once GPs start spending £80bn of NHS funds”.