One of the key developments was the news, which emerged just after Christmas, that NHS hospitals would be allowed to do 49% of their work in the private sector - something which could potentially mean eight in 10 increasing their private work 25-fold.

BBC: NHS plans: Unions move to 'outright opposition'

Local managers were allowed to do their own thing operationally until it was time for their companies to become chips and be traded in for something new, always in the name of increasing shareholder value.

ECONOMIST: Liberty Media