Edwina Hart took the weekly Assembly cabinet press briefing like she was a negotiator for the Banking, Finance and Insurance Union (her previous employer) scattering the terrified ranks of banking employers tied up in the current world financial crisis.
Bluntly, she was convinced today she was right, and possessed the answers – which meant she charged forward at top speed, promulgating policies on both sides, dismissing her enemies with a light touch of sarcasm, and acknowledging her own changes of mind (‘I preferred this, but the evidence said that’), and threatening dire consequences to those who don’t follow her elected lead.
Some of the health professions adore her (try the nurses). “She tells it as it is,” said one. They are bedazzled with her ability to get things done; to cut out the bull**** (although that was not quite their wording).
As former president of BIFU, the Gower AM knows all about negotiating. One presumes that her experience at that level in a middle class profession is being put to good and winning use when she deals with another middle class profession, the members of one of Britain’s toughest trade groups, the doctors massed within the British Medical Association.
In double-quick fire Mrs Hart told us about new Welsh government initiatives – free prescriptions, now copied in Ulster – laugh-on Mr Bradshaw, after his series of criticisms of Welsh initiatives which the Tories in the English government didn’t want to copy; a nurse for each secondary school; longer GP opening times – being introduced after negotiations, rather than by fiat as she hinted had been the way in England; a consultation to favour and thus reverse the committee recommendation on presumed-consent for organ donations; a loosening of the NICE stranglehold on drug approvals; the scrapping of local health boards and establishment of an NHS board for Wales, chaired by herself; and a review of mental health, to protect the service from having its Assembly-provided cash being whittled away by hospital trusts to fund more popular parts of the NHS.
Definitely a serious challenger to succeed Rhodri Morgan. She’s the obvious first choice for the union vote – and not many of those lads and lasses would object to her fondness for seeking specifically Welsh solutions for problems.
Her weakness is that’s she far better talking (and arguing) one-to-one; she too often seems in a hurry, and thus fails fully to explain a policy.
Jonathan Morgan, Con, Cardiff North, delights in twitting her over health policy changes. Unfortunately, so far, he doesn’t seem to have unearthed precisely why the government, firstly, established 22 local health boards; then established a local government system elaborating on their existence, and is now about to abolish them.
Perhaps, had the old-style health committee still existed, we might have gained an answer.
Lib Dem health spokesman Jenny Randerson hinted at trouble ahead. It lies, as I hinted in the two paragraphy above, in the minster’s NHS reorganisation, and that national board.
The Cardiff Central AM said, “I have immense regard for Edwina’s energy and abilities but that does not stop me worrying hugely about the scale of this personal takeover.
“Politicising the NHS runs counter to the will of a majority in the health sector, and the people of Wales. It will be a disaster in the long term. People should be at the heart of the National Health Service – not politicians!”
It was no surprise when Jonathan Morgan came out with similar comments : “This is a very dangerous exercise.
“By making herself the Chair of this new National Advisory Board, Edwina Hart AM will be directly responsible for primary care, community care and mental health.
“This is not an arms length approach – like the majority of clinicians and managers recommended to the consultation. This instead, puts the Minister in charge of day to day decisions.
“We have gone from one extreme to the other – 22 Local Health Boards to a state controlled governing body, bordering on old Soviet style command and control.”
Parts of the NHS manpower, as well as journalist observers, may examine Mrs Hart’s forthrightness. But only as long as things don’t go too-wrong.
As Mr Morgan said, “One day this will have to be completely unpicked.”
That day will presumably arrive after the 2011 election. Judging by the comment issued by Plaid immediately after Mrs Hart’s announcement, that poll should result in a major change to the current political pairings.
Plaid commented, “Today’s announcement will mean a dramatic reduction in red tape in the Welsh NHS. It will take control of the health service out of the hands of faceless bureaucrats, making decisions more open and democratically accountable.”
That would seem to presuppose a Conservative administration propped up by the Lib Dems. At last, worthwhile philosophical divisions are opening out in the Senedd.
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