Saturday, August 22, 2009

Millions spent on UK government-run health care management consultants with Labour Party links

This story sounds like it came out of Chicago...but it involves Great Britain's government-run health care agency, the NHS.

From the Telegraph:

The Department of Health has spent almost £500 million ($825 million US) on management consultants, including deals with firms which have hired senior Labour figures and high ranking civil servants, an investigation has revealed.

The disclosure of more than 100 contracts worth a total of £470 million ($775 million US) last night engulfed the Government in accusations of "cronyism".

Among those recruited by the favoured firms are a former health minister, an ex-adviser to the health secretary and a senior Whitehall official responsible for encouraging private sector involvement in the NHS.

Doctors' and nurses' leaders expressed concern over the use of resources which could have paid for more than 60,000 hip operations, or the annual salary of 22,000 nurses.

The articles goes on to complain about the "revolving door" between government and health care consulting firms.

Man, that does sound familiar. Get used to more of that if ObamaCare becomes the law.

Britain's Labour Party is the majority party in the United Kingdom.

Thanks to Vince of Chicago's Northwest Side for sending me the hip replacement graphic.

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