M&A could be the cure for the UK’s threatened pharmaceutical industry March 7, 2019 Six in 10 UK hospital pharmacists report medicine shortages daily – twice the rate as the whole of the European Union. And this is before the fast-approaching EU withdrawal agreement puts additional pressure on the medicine supply chain. According to Mike Thompson, chief executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry: “every month, 45m [...]
Thinking about taking on an apprentice? National Apprenticeship Week is a good time to start March 5, 2019 One of the great things about my job as a minister is hearing from employers about the positive impact that apprentices have had on their businesses. Employers often talk about the energy and enthusiasm that apprentices bring to the workplace. And they are not just talking about young people either, but apprentices of all ages [...]
The NHS needs to act more like WeWork March 1, 2019 A&E waiting times are at their worst level for 15 years. In 2018, more junior doctors left the NHS than stayed. Doctors and nurses are facing untold pressures, with things set to get worse as European recruits dry up ahead of Brexit. The health service is facing a critical staffing crisis which could prove fatal. [...]
Britain lost faith in its politicians – and then it voted for Brexit February 27, 2019 What do Bill Clinton, the Beano, and moat cleaning have in common? Answer: they all contributed to Brexit. We are about to reach the tenth anniversary of the MPs’ expenses scandal, the fifteenth anniversary of the launch of the TaxPayers’ Alliance (which I co-founded in 2004), and in 30 days’ time we should be leaving [...]
The Pharmacy2U boss on saving the ailing NHS and stockpiling medicine February 18, 2019 The first ever UK chemist opened its doors in 1734, says Mark Livingstone when I meet him for breakfast. But it’s not so much this 285-year history that’s remarkable – it’s the fact that the business of dispensing drugs has barely been disrupted during that time. As the former managing director of Lego says: “When [...]
Still feeling entitled? Britain is facing a crisis of intergenerational inequality February 15, 2019 This week, I was audacious enough to suggest that free TV licences for pensioners should not be a public spending priority. The backlash was fierce. “I have paid taxes all my life,” came the outraged cries on social media. This is mostly true, as long as you take “all my life” to mean “until I [...]
DEBATE: Should Theresa May push for a compromise with Labour to get her Brexit deal passed? February 13, 2019 Should Theresa May push for a compromise with Labour to get her Brexit deal passed? Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive of London First, says YES. Theresa May’s primary goal must be to avoid leaving the EU with no deal. That means that the government must stop behaving as if it has a rock-solid parliamentary majority, and [...]
Philip Hammond’s ‘Brexit deal dividend’ claim under attack from MPs February 12, 2019 Philip Hammond’s promise of a Brexit dividend has been called into question amid signs of sluggish economic growth and warnings of a knock-on effect for the public finances. Figures released on Monday showed the UK economy grew by just 1.4 per cent in 2018 – its slowest rate for six years – while growth in the [...]
Robots, surgery, and the NHS – what will the future medical bot look like and when will the machines take over the operating theatre? February 11, 2019 In the 2012 film Prometheus, there’s a memorable scene where the protagonist uses an automated medical table to remove an alien creature growing in her stomach. At the press of a few buttons, robotic arms quickly perform a complex procedure – the operation looks more like a car assembly line than surgery. The scene is [...]
DEBATE: Could the internet of things be the answer to the social care crisis? February 6, 2019 Could the internet of things be the answer to the social care crisis? Emanuele Angelidis, chief executive of IoT investor Breed Reply, says YES. With more and more people forced to look after loved ones, the internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) can help alleviate the social care issues raised by an ageing population. For a [...]