Health Secretary Wes Streeting has tried using the NHS for social engineering before. Previously, he’s suggested that weight-loss jabs could get people back to work. This week he’s gone further. Yesterday, Streeting said that ‘for the first time’ he would be ‘making the NHS accountable for patients’ employment outcomes’. 

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Streeting is right that ill health is contributing to unemployment. Economic inactivity due to long term illness runs at a record level. The rise has been steep post-Covid, with assessments shifting from face-to-face to virtual. And what’s most striking is that the surge has particularly affected those between 16 and 34. 

There are 1.9 million people unemployed, and another 2.8 million – counted separately – who don’t work because of ill health. Back in 1942, Beveridge named the five giants whose evil the state must fight. Why should disease and idleness have suddenly got so much worse? Show me the incentives, said Charlie Munger, and I’ll show you the outcome. Either human biology has fundamentally changed in the last few years, and only in Britain, or the........

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