T.V.in the USA tells you a lot about life in America and if things keep going in the current direction what life will be like here. The USA is the land of choice where paradoxically there is very little variety. There may be 500 channels on cable t.v. but you will be hard pressed to find something to watch. So if t.v. doesn’t get better the more choice you have do other more important things like schools and hospitals?
The Public Sector doesn’t offer much in the way of choice so will the care of older people be better if there is a choice of Older Persons Homes and Home Help services?
In the past the argument has always been about the balance with in a mixed economy, some state ,some private. Now the argument seems to be do we really need any state services as long as we have a choice of private services? We are assured it will no longer be the rich that will have choice, every one will! The state will fund your choice, up to an agreed limit. But does this mean you won’t have a choice of going Public? Does it mean your local authority Social Service Department won’t run any Old People’s Homes or a Home Help service or Day Centres? That you won’t be able to send your child to the local state school because there won’t be one. And all hospitals will be private but take state funded patients.
In terms of television it would mean that there was no BBC. 500 channels but nothing worth watching.
Blair McPherson author of Equipping Managers for an Uncertain Future published by www.russellhouse.co.uk