Striking a healthy balance

A prelude to Imbyism. That is the main objection of those who oppose holding open elections to appoint health board members. The argument goes that elections would result in local activists opposed to the closure of hospitals and medical services being elected to boards on an in-my-backyard ticket. Objectors maintain that this would result in stasis in the NHS, leading to a situation where plans to provide better services more efficiently would be continuously blocked against the best interests of patients. The Labour-led Scottish Executive's opposition to directly-elected health boards is based on these reservations.