A correction

JT has asked me to correct my misrepresentation of his views on the provision of health care. I am delighted to quote his eloquent summary:
“The widespread takeover of healthcare provision by the state in the twentieth century, centrally directed and controlled, and funded exclusively through taxation, was a mistake. It has not led to the benefits which were promised. There are various reasons for this, which are the subject for a lengthier posting at a later date. But I think that there are a range of other options which need to be seriously and urgently considered. For example, along with some state provision, I think that there is scope for a greater role for private insurance and co-payments in the funding of healthcare. The delivery of healthcare services should also be opened up to independent companies, charitable organisations and other such bodies. In many circumstances, people would get a better service, with shorter waiting times, if they could choose where their own money was directed. I think that more people could afford some degree of health care insurance to complement other provision if their taxes were cut. There is no doubt that there is ample scope to cut a significant amount of waste from current Government spending; blogs such as http://burningourmoney.blogspot.com/ list examples every week. Whilst I support a campaign against what new Labour has done to worsen provision in the NHS, I think it is important that the Conservative party should look to develop new models for healthcare delivery. Keeping exclusively to the current top-down, centrally controlled system is not sustainable”