Alasdair Liddell Explained

Alasdair Liddell
Birth Name:Alasdair Donald MacDuff Liddell
Birth Date:15 January 1949
Birth Place:Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland
Death Place:London, England
Alma Mater:Balliol College, Oxford
Office:Director of Planning
Order:Department of Health
Children:2

Alasdair Donald MacDuff Liddell (15 January 1949 – 31 December 2012) was one of the architects of Britain's health strategy in the 1990s.[1] As Director of Planning at the Department of Health (1994–2000), he led the process of setting national priorities for the National Health Service (NHS).[2] [3]

Education

Liddell was educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh, and Balliol College, Oxford (1967–70). He moved from the voluntary sector to health management and as chief of the East Anglian Regional Health Authority he pioneered the Rubber Windmill, a simulation involving large numbers of clinicians, health managers, journalists and others over several days, which tested (and found wanting) the government's plans to introduce internal markets to the NHS. The Windmill was highly influential and led to changes in the government's approach. Liddell's simulation idea has since been used repeatedly to assess the impact of the market-based reforms, notably for the King's Fund in 2007.[4]

Career

He resigned, reputedly over policy differences with ministers,[1] and subsequently acted as an advisor to health charities like the King's Fund (where he was a Senior Associate) and to health sector companies and consultancies. He was Senior Counsel to Bell Pottinger and was non-executive Deputy Chairman of Healthcare Locums plc, effectively taking executive responsibility in early 2011 when the company was found to have financial irregularities leading to the suspension of the company's chief executive Kate Bleasedale.

He was promoted by Ken Jarrold to Director of Planning.[5] As Director of Planning at the Department of Health Liddell had Board level responsibility for strategy, NHS information and IT, NHS Communications, and a number of key policy areas. After the 1997 election he led the team supporting Ministers in laying the foundations for much of current government policy for the NHS. He was awarded a CBE in the 1997 Birthday Honours for services to the NHS.[6]

He died at age 63 of an aneurysm he suffered while visiting friends in London.[7]

Family

Liddell married Jenny Abramsky in 1976. They had two children.

Works

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Joe Churcher. Ex-NHS policy chief Alasdair Liddell dies aged 63. https://web.archive.org/web/20140125135114/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exnhs-policy-chief-alasdair-liddell-dies-aged-63-8438897.html . 2014-01-25 . limited . live. The Independent. 4 January 2013. 12 April 2016.
  2. Book: Edwards. Brian. The Executive Years of the NHS: The England Account 1985-2003. Fall. Margaret. 2005. Radcliffe Publishing. 978-1-85775-759-0. en.
  3. Book: Cooper, Liz. Voices Off: Tackling the Democratic Deficit in Health. 1995. Institute for Public Policy Research. 978-1-86030-002-8. en.
  4. News: Dickson. Niall. 11 January 2013. Alasdair Liddell obituary. en-GB. The Guardian. 26 August 2020. 0261-3077.
  5. Book: Limited, Pearson Education. Education Year Book 1999/2000. 26 May 1999. Pearson Education, Limited. 978-0-273-64158-2. en.
  6. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article3653723.ece Alasdair Liddell obituary
  7. Web site: Alasdair LIDDELL Obituary. 26 August 2020. Legacy.com. en.
  8. Book: Liddell. Alasdair. Adshead. Stephen. Burgess. Ellen. 23 October 2008. Technology in the NHS: Transforming the patient's experience of care. 26 August 2020. The King's Fund. King's Fund . en. 978-1-85717-574-5.
  9. Book: Harvey. Sarah. Windmill 2009: NHS response to the financial storm. Liddell. Alasdair. McMahon. Laurie. The King's Fund. 2009. 978-1-85717-588-2. O’Neill. Kathryn. London, United Kingdom.