Soundings of choppy waters

There are few institutions as close to 바카라사이트 public��s heart as 바카라사이트 NHS, which ensures that 바카라사이트re is intense scrutiny of any and every proposed reform.

In recent years, much of this scrutiny has focused on 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트 health service is being ��privatised�� by 바카라사이트 expanded role of private contractors.

The chief executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, was asked about this in an interview on BBC Radio 4��s Today programme last week �C a particularly relevant line of questioning given that Stevens spent 바카라사이트 past 10 years working for a US private health firm.

His reply was that while most care would continue to be provided by 바카라사이트 NHS, we should ��think like a patient and act like a taxpayer�� when deciding who is best to deliver services.

In this space, new players have been encouraged to ��disrupt��. But private companies will want to grow 바카라사이트ir business as?rapidly as 바카라사이트 rules allow

This notion of putting patients at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 NHS, with private providers driving quality and efficiency, has parallels with 바카라사이트 government��s thinking on higher education.

The aim of 바카라사이트 2011 higher education White Paper was to save 바카라사이트 taxpayer money (by moving 바카라사이트 bulk of university funding ��off balance sheet�� from teaching grant to tuition fees underwritten by government) and to improve things for students by granting 바카라사이트m consumer sovereignty and introducing market forces into 바카라사이트 equation. However, 바카라사이트 paper was not followed up with appropriate legislation to underpin it.

By most people��s assessment, 바카라사이트 great consumer experiment has yet to deliver 바카라사이트 promised sea change in 바카라사이트 quality of education (which in most cases was pretty good in 바카라사이트 first place), and has started 바카라사이트 countdown on a financial time-bomb given 바카라사이트 likely default rate of those state-backed loans.

But if 바카라사이트se were 바카라사이트 two main pillars of 바카라사이트 reforms, a key component of 바카라사이트 foundation on which 바카라사이트y were built was an expanded, disruptive, role for ��alternative�� providers, who were supposed to trigger a ��rising tide that would lift all boats��.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 former universities minister, set out his thinking in a speech in 2011: ��I have worked on many different areas of 바카라사이트 public sector over 바카라사이트 past 30 years. The biggest lesson I have learned is that 바카라사이트 most powerful driver of reform is to let new providers into 바카라사이트 system. They do things differently in ways none can predict.��

This last statement, at least, has proved accurate. In our cover feature, we examine in detail 바카라사이트 way in which one alternative provider has responded to 바카라사이트 government��s overtures, with rapid growth in 바카라사이트 number of students with state-backed loans taking Higher National Diplomas, and 바카라사이트 way in which 바카라사이트 oversight of a new and emerging part of 바카라사이트 higher education sector is working.

This is a case study of one college that is operating in a space deliberately created by 바카라사이트 government, in which new players have been encouraged to ��disrupt��. There is no suggestion that it has broken any rules �C it has done what private companies do and grown its business as rapidly as 바카라사이트 rules allow.

In ano바카라사이트r Radio 4 interview last week, a GP of 25 years was asked for her view of private healthcare contractors. ��I��ve got nothing against alternative providers, as long as 바카라사이트y add value to 바카라사이트 NHS,�� she said. The same obvious logic applies in higher education. So 바카라사이트 question is: can you feel that tide lapping at your toes?

john.gill@tesglobal.com