Editorial Monday 19 July 2021: Welcome to Health Policy Insight's relaunch

It's 'Freedom Day', apparently. What better day could there be to relaunch Health Policy Insight?

As some readers will remember, I launched HPI in 2008. I've been writing about the politics and management of the NHS since 2000. Since then, HPI has sat alongside my journalism for a range of outlets. It has sought to contribute to broadening and deepening coverage of the politics, policy and management of the NHS.

In recent times, I've been writing a weekly column for Health Service Journal. 'Cowper's Cut' has run over the past four years, and various people whose opinions I respect say that they value it.

HSJ decided that they now want to give 'Cut' a rest. And rather obviously, nobody has a right to a column.

My view is that 'Cut' performs a useful function. A weekly round-up of the key themes in this field and what they mean (with latterly an increasing emphasis on politics) feels like something helpful.

So I will be continuing 'Cowper's Cut' here.

It won't come as a surprise to readers of 'Cut' that it takes me quite a bit of work.

I'm not in a position to do that work unpaid.

So I'm producing 'Cut' on a subscription basis. 'Free at the point of use' is a good principle for a tax-funded universal healthcare system, but it's not a viable way to produce journalism. (The bank that holds my mortgage and the shops that provide my food have proved bizarrely uninterested in my offers of payment in kind via 'the hidden economy of esteem'. How unimaginative.)

So, it's either people paying for my content by subscribing, or I'll be forced to flaunt my enviable curves on OnlyFans (nope, not linking to that).

I hope people will see the value of supporting this. If you'd like to, you can sign up to either a monthly or yearly plan for full access.

And I'll find out soon enough. Fingers crossed.