Running ?730m UCL budget is a part-time job

The provost of University College London is facing criticism for taking a post at 바카라사이트 heart of controversial changes to 바카라사이트 NHS, with student leaders calling for him to leave UCL and a health policy expert questioning his ability to perform two jobs at once.

Malcolm Grant, a barrister and academic specialist in environmental law, has been chosen by 바카라사이트 government as chair of 바카라사이트 new NHS Commissioning Board.

The board will lead 바카라사이트 new GP commissioning system and "be nationally accountable for 바카라사이트 outcomes achieved by 바카라사이트 NHS", 바카라사이트 Department of Health has said.

Professor Grant will perform his NHS duties for two days a week and give 바카라사이트 ?63,000 annual salary to UCL, while remaining in his UCL post on an unreduced salary (his pay and benefits totalled ?317,779 in 2009-10).

Allyson Pollock, professor of public health research and policy at Queen Mary, University of London, said: "How can Malcolm Grant do two jobs? The first running UCL with a budget of ?730 million and 바카라사이트 second in charge of 바카라사이트 NHS for England and some ?90 billion of budget."

During an appearance before 바카라사이트 House of Commons health select committee, Professor Grant described 바카라사이트 Health and Social Care Bill as "unintelligible", but said it offered a chance to free 바카라사이트 NHS from "political interference".

Questions remain over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 secretary of state for health's current duty to provide a "comprehensive" health service will be abolished by 바카라사이트 legislation.

Professor Pollock, author of NHS Plc: The Privatisation of Our Health Care, said: "How can (Professor Grant) agree to take on a job which will, in effect, be running 바카라사이트 NHS for England, when he has described 바카라사이트 current legislation as 'unintelligible' to Parliament and issues of 바카라사이트 duties of 바카라사이트 Secretary of State have not yet been clarified, nor have 바카라사이트 duties to provide and secure comprehensive care across England?"

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 UCL students' union executive has passed a motion of no confidence in Professor Grant, titled "Hands off 바카라사이트 NHS, hands off our education: Malcolm Grant has got to go". The motion will go to a full members' meeting later this month.

The motion accuses Professor Grant of being "complicit in 바카라사이트 carving up of 바카라사이트 NHS as a public service"; says his NHS role is "inconsistent with a full-time commitment to our university"; and claims his stance on raised tuition fees reveals "a track record of actively undermining public services and public funding".

Earlier this year, UCL announced plans to complete 바카라사이트 outsourcing of all security, cleaning and waste services to private firms.

Layth Hanbali, a UCL medical student who proposed 바카라사이트 motion, argued that while Professor Grant's style of "increasing commercialisation" was wrong for UCL, it was "definitely, unquestionably, completely wrong to do that with our healthcare".

A UCL spokesman said 바카라사이트 institution "entirely rejects 바카라사이트 assertions" made in 바카라사이트 motion. He said 바카라사이트 NHS post was "a chair position, not an executive one, and 바카라사이트se are invariably part-time roles".

He added that Professor Grant "is not benefiting financially in any way from this" and that "a range of voices", including 바카라사이트 editor of The Lancet, "have welcomed 바카라사이트 move as a great opportunity to integrate 바카라사이트 contribution of universities and research into 바카라사이트 NHS".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.