A glimmer of hope?

It is unquestionably good news that the Health Secretary has expressed the view that the NHS should be the "preferred provider" of health services. This has rightly been described on a leading health worker's blog as "a glimmer of hope."

This statement has also been welcomed by the semi-official anonymous blog recently set up by some UNISON officials though without perhaps giving UNISON the credit we appear to deserve for this development.

Of course I think the NHS should be the only (not just the preferred!) provider - and I am cynical in the extreme about any deathbed conversions to public services on the part of New Labour. Nevertheless we should use every tool we are given to defend public services - which includes making the most of statements such as this by Government Ministers (even those who do not have a long shelf-life).

Sometimes the best way to know whether you like something is to check out who hates it!

And if the public sector is the best provider of health services (and we are) then what about education, housing, social care and many other public services?