Jeremy Hunt’s Book on NHS

Interesting to see that ex Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is publishing a book on the need to reform the NHS.

I totally agree with his conclusions on the problems with so-called professionals being unable to admit mistakes:

I have three other observations/questions:

This issue is not limited to the NHS. It’s rampant in Childrens Services’ Social Work. I was with the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory on Young People in the Family Justice System on Wednesday 11/5/22 being interviewed about this. The public sector in general suffers from this malaise, with Local Authorites being unwilling to confront their failings, which leads to either silence or cover-ups, or even worse, conspiracies.
Jeremy Hunt concludes that he was at the top of a rogue system. This is refreshing, but it is the first time I’ve heard him say this. 10 years after he became top of the rogue system, 4 years after he ceased to be. It’s OK to be able to reflect afterwards, but wouldn’t political leaders be even more effective if they could undesrtand what was going on whilst they were in post, and so be able to influence change?
How do we get political leaders who can reach such conclusions whilst they are in power, not afterwards? People who don’t get sucked into the culture, become part of the culture, and reflect on it several years later. People who can observe the culture from the inside, and take decisive action to change it. How do we get more Michael Goves?

Stuart Black

15 May 2022