You may have noticed that I have not had a rant recently on policy-aspirational job titles. I have not reformed, however, but I have started looking at the jobs behind the titles. Here in the Guardian for 5th November is a PCT advertising for an Associate Director of Business Development. This person ‘will take the lead role in marketing and the development of business acumen and focus across the Directorate [of Provider Services] and maximise the Directorate’s opportunities in a highly competitive and dynamic market’. This Directorate covers general practices, dental surgeries, community pharmacies and optometry practices, not exactly at the forefront of innovation, you might think – just keep the show on the road.

GP, dentist, pharmacist and optician: all services I use. Frankly I do not want them developing business acumen and focus; I’d rather they just did the job. How do these jobs benefit from being in a ‘highly competitive and dynamic market’? Since we’re talking here about a rural area where there probably isn’t much competition, I’ve no doubt such a market is tough to develop, even for someone earning nearly £65k. I suspect this is a businessification of what used to be called (and paid for as) a development officer, whose job was to find the gaps in provision and get people to work together to fill them.

Pics of the St Christopher’s building works, in solidarity with colleagues who are working in difficult conditions, so that things can be better in the future.

A bust (things are a little out of place at the moment)