NHS Efficiency Puzzle Solved – well, sort of

With a little help from my friends (see below) I’ve finally got a handle on how the Government manages to claim “£15-£20bn” of annual efficiency savings for the NHS by 2013-14. Unfortunately, the answer seems just daft as the Tories latest efficiency claims. Continue reading “NHS Efficiency Puzzle Solved – well, sort of” →

What will politicians need to do to please public managers?‎

The Guardian

Last week Colin Talbot, professor of public policy and management at Manchester Business School, who gave evidence to the Commons’ Treasury select committee …

The Great Ignored

The great ignored: the big deficit and the big market, by Colin Talbot‎

Public Finance

The Great Ignored? That’ll be The Big Deficit and The Big Market then.

The launch of the General Election campaign yesterday was most notable for what was not said, rather than what was. Continue reading “The Great Ignored? That’ll be The Big Deficit and The Big Market then.” →

Shopaholics Economics

We all know the rationalisation: I just bought desirable item X for £50 less than the marked price so I’ve “saved” £50 I can spend on something else. Of course, the £50 isn’t real – it’s just a notional saving and my claim when I get home that “I’ve just saved fifty quid” is greeted with understandable scepticism. Continue reading “Shopaholics Economics” →

City lets George Osborne make a monkey of the voters‎

Times Online

In the case of Rayner, according to Colin Talbot of Manchester University, Britain’s foremost expert on public-sector efficiency, only half the claimed …

NHS Efficiency Target: Confusion Reigns

Confusion reigns in government over what the efficiency targets are for the NHS.

To recap: in the Budget (para 6.14) it says that by 2013-14 the health service will be making annual efficiency savings of between £15bn and £20bn – that is roughly 15% to 20% of their entire spending.

Just before a hearing of the Treasury Select Committee on Monday (29^th March) I talked to Robert Chote, head of the IFS and a fellow witness to the committee. We agreed this had to be an error and the £15-£20bn must be a cumulative figure over the next four years. Continue reading “NHS Efficiency Target: Confusion Reigns” →