Reform

What is it?

A right of centre think tank, Reform embraces the idea of greater competition in the health service.

Reform supports the group Doctors for Reform, which is led by the chairman of the Conservative Medical Society, Paul Charlson, a GP who runs a private clinic specialising in cosmetic treatments.

What agenda does it have?

Reform’s deputy director, Nick Seddon, joined the think tank last year after a stint as head of communications at Circle, a private healthcare company. Run and owned by clinicians, Circle became, in 2010, the first private contractor to take over the running of an entire NHS hospital (BMJ 2010;341:c6876, doi:10.1136/bmj.c6876).

Seddon’s replacement at Circle is Christina Lineen, a former aide to Andrew Lansley, health secretary for England.

In a comment piece for the Guardian newspaper …