A hesitation to be brave

doi:10.1136/bmj.b3468

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Fiona Godlee, editor, BMJ

fgodlee{at}bmj.com

No one doubts that there’s going to be less money for health in the next few years. But is this a disaster or, as John Appleby believes (doi:10.1136/bmj.b2736), a potential opportunity? Taking his cue from White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, Appleby says we can’t let this economic crisis go to waste. It would be too easy to slash budgets, grow waiting lists, cut training, and reduce spending on prevention just to store up problems for the future. Instead we should “get radical with improving quality,” he says. “Doing the right thing for patients the …