On the day that two former cabinet ministers called for a
wide-ranging debate about the future direction of the Labour party,
Channel 4 News has learned that Tony Blair is thinking the
unthinkable about the NHS.
He's proposing that people should be given money by the government
to spend as they like on healthcare - even if it's in the private
sector.
The radical proposal coincides with the launch of a website by
Charles Clarke and Alan Milburn to encourage creative thinking.
But many at Westminster see their initiative as a backdoor way of
finding a challenger to take on Gordon Brown in a future Labour
leadership election.
Before he walks through this door for the last time, Tony Blair is
determined to leave his successor a radical legacy to chew on.
Channel 4 News has learnt the policy review he's carrying out will
say individuals should be given money by the government to spend how
they like on healthcare.
But although patients might be allowed to spend state funds in the
private sector, the government doesn't want to subsidise the better
off to go private.
So patients wouldn't be able to use their own money to top up the
government's contribution.
It's an idea mooted by his former cabinet colleague Alan Milburn,
today launching his own policy debate with Charles Clarke.
It remains unclear whether the plan to launch so-called individual
budgets will be discussed on their policy website.
http://www.channel4.com/news/special-reports/special-reports-storypage.jsp?id=4701
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