Social policies of Thatcher's government?

Question 1

How did Thatcher apply business principles to NHS?

Answer 1

• Hospitals were allowed to become self-governing NHS trusts in control of own budgets.
• NHS services were expected to compete with one another and provide the most efficient and cost-effective service to general practitioners (GPs)
• GPs also became fund-holders with their own budgets to manage.

Question 2

Opinions on NHS policies?

Answer 2

• Injected much needed financial discipline into NHS.
• First stage of privatisation of the NHS –> profit motive would take priority over patient care.

Question 3

Schools before Thatcher?

Answer 3

• Two-tier qualification system of O Levels and CSEs (did not lead to further training or education)

Question 4

What did Thatcher introduce to schools?

Answer 4

• GCSE introduced in 1986
• Qualification open to all levels of ability
• 1988 introduced national curriculum –> regular national testing of pupils at different stages of school careers.
• Could opt out of control by their local education authority.

Question 5

Concerns with Thatcher’s school policies?

Answer 5

• Thatcher doubtful –> persuaded by Sir Keith Joseph that GCSEs would not lead to lowering of standards.
• Some argued that GCSEs were not academically rigorous enough.
• The content of national curriculum, English + History, caused disagreements and some thought setting down what should be taught was too restrictive + testing too frequent.
• Thatcher was not consistent. Schools control their own budgets suggested an extension of freedom from government control, imposition of the national curriculum meant that the Department of Education in London decided curriculum.

Question 6

Council house sales under Thatcher:

Answer 6

• ‘a property-owning democracy’
• Valued hard work, self-reliance and initiative –> enabling them to own their own homes.
• Owning property gave people stake in communities and less likely to support ‘socialism’
• Property ownership increased by 12%
• Government money spent on subsidising mortgages doubled.

Question 7

Thatcher’s policies towards Universities:

Answer 7

Economically self-sufficient and serve economic needs of country:

• Gov cut university budgets in 1981 –> forced universities to seek alternative sources of revenue and accept more students.
• 1988 University Funding Council created –> ensure university education reflected needs of the economy rather than concentrating on research.
• Some university staff lost security of tenure.
• Gov also removed polytechnics –> higher education institutions which specialised in vocational courses from local authority control and brought under control of University Funding Council.
• Did not abolish grants.

Question 8

How were Thatcher’s university policies controversial?

Answer 8

• 1985 Oxford University refused to grant Thatcher an honorary degree –> given to six previous Oxford-educated prime ministers since WW2.