Clegg and Doctors!

Just on my way to hear Nick Clegg MP give a speech on "Closing the Gap: building an opportunity society". Bizarrely I had a dream last night about it! I was at the speech and I'd asked him about the hypocrisy of BigSoc talk when they were decimating civil society organisations and he said he quite agreed and had told Cameron so. Um. Shall I try it today?

A number of meetings yesterday which turned out to be greatly useful. First with one of my members Hilary De Lyon, who runs the Royal College of GPs, and her enthusiastic and dynamic incoming Chair, Dr Clare Gerada, who turns out to be a Lambeth neighbour of one of the third sector legends and, obviously an ACEVO member, Deborah Arnott, who runs ASH and led the smoking ban campaign thus saving countless lives.

We are working with the Royal College on plans for GP commissioning and how to ensure a role for the sector both in ensuring good processes that are built around people and communities as well as delivery through the sector. GP commissioning could be a great opportunity to develop better public health. It could also be a step back as doctors commission from who they know, not the third sector.

Then a meeting with Reform - the think tank - and Nick Seddon, who as well as being the hugely talented Deputy Director of Reform is also Chair of the Directory of Social Change (CEO Debra a valued ACEVO member). We were also talking about the health reforms as well as the Cameron first 100 days. Reform are publishing their assessment of how the coalition have done today. An interesting read - not least in the fact they quote me on Big Society; " this is either a huge opportunity for the sector or it is a charade ".

Click here for their website.