Mark Hellowell

Research focus and approach

Mark's research programme focuses on the role of markets, competition and private financing in health care systems. He has a specific interest in public-private partnerships (PPPs), an important strand of health sector reform in the UK and across much of the world. His approach is multidisciplinary, incorporating health policy, economics, industrial organisation and finance. In addition to publishing in a diverse array of peer-reviewed journals (see below), he has been successful in disseminating his findings through a variety of media - most recently the BBC's Panorama programme, The Guardian and Public Finance. He gives regular interviews to national print and broadcast media on public policy issues, and has provided oral and written evidence to both UK and Scottish parliamentary select committees. He is acting as special adviser to the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee in relation to its inquiry and related work on the private finance initiative (PFI), and the successor programme, Private Finance 2 (PF2). He provides postgraduate teaching in economics and public policy, economic evaluation in health policy, health systems reform and public private partnerships, working within the Social Policy subject area and the Academy of Government.

Selected recent publications

• Vecchi, V, Hellowell, M, Gatti, S (2013), 'Does the private sector receive an excessive return from investments in health care infrastructure projects? Evidence from the UK', Health Policy.
• Vecchi, V and Hellowell, M (2013), 'Leasing by public authorities in Italy: creating economic value from a balance sheet illusion', Public Money & Management, Vol. 33, No.1, p. 63-70.
• Vecchi, V and Hellowell, M (2012), 'Securing a Better Deal from Investors in Public Infrastructure Projects: Insights from Capital Budgeting', Public Management Review.
• Hellowell, M and Vecchi, V (2012), 'What return for Risk? The Price of Equity Capital in Public-Private Partnerships'. In Greve, C and Hodge, G (eds), Rethinking Public-Private Partnerships: Strategies for Turbulent Times, Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routlege, ch. 3.
  
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'The role of public-private partnerships in health systems is getting stronger'. In Robertson, A and Jones-Parry, R (eds), Commonwealth Health Partnership 2012, London: Commonwealth Secretariat, p. 71-73.
  
• Smith, K and Hellowell, M (2012), 'Beyond Rhetorical Differences: A Cohesive Account of Post-devolution Developments in Health Policy', Social Policy and Administration, Vol.46, No.2, p.178-198.
• Hellowell, M and Vecchi, V (2012), 'An evaluation of the projected returns to investors on 10 PFI projects commissioned by the National Health Service', Financial Accountability and Management, Vol.28, No.1, p.77-100.
• Hellowell, M and Vecchi, V (2010), 'Are Italian healthcare organisations paying too much for their public private partnerships?', Public Money and Management. Vol. 30(2), pp. 125-132.
• Hellowell, M and Pollock, AM (2010), 'Do PPPs in social infrastructure enhance the public interest?', Australian Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 69, No. S1, pp. S23-S34.
• Hellowell, M (2010), 'The private finance initiative: policy, performance and prospects'. In Hodge, G, Greve, C and Boardman, A, International Handbook on Public-Private-Partnerships. Edward Elgar.
• Hellowell, M and Pollock, AM (2009), 'The private financing of NHS hospitals: politics, policy and practice', Economic Affairs. Vol.29. No.1, pp.13-19.
• Hellowell, M and Pollock, AM (2009), 'Non-profit distribution: the Scottish approach to private finance in public services', Social Policy and Society. Vol 8 (3), pp. 405-418.
• Hellowell, M, Vecchi, V (2009), 'The cost-efficiency of private finance in public healthcare: evidence from the UK and Italy', Mecosan Review, CERGAS: Milan.
• Amatucci F., Hellowell, M and Vecchi, V (2008), 'Il project finance: quali lezioni dalle esperienze internazionali?'. In Pessina, E, Cantù E (eds) 'L'aziendalizzazione della sanità in Italia: rapporto', Milan: Egea.
• Hellowell M and Pollock AM (2007), 'The PFI: Scotland's Plan for Expansion and its Implications', Public Money and Management. Vol. 27 (5), pp. 351-255.

Recent reports, working papers and policy interventions 

• Hellowell, M and Vecchi, V (2012), 'The credit crunch in infrastructure finance: assessing the economic advantage of recent policy actions', Edinburgh, September 2012.
• Hellowell, M and Vecchi, V (2012), 'What return for risk? The price of equity capital in public-private partnerships', Paper given to the International Research Society for Public Management, 13 April 2012.
• Hellowell, M (2011), Returns on PFI investment. Analysis for the Treasury Select Committee report on PFI. See Box 3.
• Hellowell, M (2011), Private finance comparison with public finance. Analysis for the Treasury Select Committee report on PFI. See Box 2.
• Hellowell, M and Vecchi, V (2009), 'The efficiency of private finance in healthcare infrastructure provision: Evidence from the UK National Health Service', Paper given to the International Research Society for Public Management, 7 April 2009.
• Hellowell, M, Price, D and Pollock, AM (2008), 'The use of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI)/ Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Northern Ireland'. Belfast: NIPSA.
• Hellowell, M (2008), 'Supplementary memorandum to the Finance Committee of the Scottish Parliament with regard to its inquiry into the funding of capital investment'. Edinburgh: CIPHP, May 2008.
• Hellowell M. (2008), 'Written evidence to the Finance Committee of the Scottish Parliament with regard to its inquiry into the funding of capital investment'. Edinburgh: CIPHP, January 2008.
• Hellowell M. (2007), 'Evidence to the National Assembly for Wales Finance Committee with regard to its inquiry on public private partnerships'. Edinburgh: CIPHP, December 2007.
• Hellowell M and Pollock AM (2008). 'The Private Finance Initiative in England' NHS'. Paper presented at International Workshop on PPPs: Promises, Politics and Pitfalls, City University of Hong Kong, October 2007.
• Hellowell M and Pollock A. (2007), 'Private Finance, Public Deficits: A report
  on the cost of PFI and its impact on health services in England's'. Edinburgh: CIPHP, September 2007.

Selected recent media work and interviews

• Hellowell, M (2012), 'PF2: Still the only game in town?', Public Finance, 6 December.
• Plimmer, G and Pickard, J (2012), 'Extra costs in new-look PFI spark row' (Interview), Financial Times, 5 December.
• Plimmer, G (2012), 'UK contractors export PFI expertise' (Interview), Financial Times, 11 October.
  
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'The country needs more infrastructure investment to boost jobs and growth', British Politics and Policy at LSE blog, 18 September.
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'Beware dangers from building boost', Public Finance, 5 September.
  
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'Infrastructure guarantees: it's still the state that pays', Public Finance, 19 July.
  
• BBC Radio 4 (2012), 'NHS Trust going bust' (Interview), The Report, 15 July.
  
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'Investing in project bonds to support infrastructure development may help the Eurozone to return to growth', European Politics and Policy, LSE blog, 27 June.
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'Satisfaction with the NHS has dropped 12% since 2010 and the government's rhetoric is largely to blame', British Politics and Policy at LSE blog, 19 June.
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'Treasury puts the bind on bonds', Public Finance, 1 May.
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'Weak foundations', Public Finance, 1 February.
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'Meeting the demand for care will mean ensuring the private sector health market is fit for competition', British Politics and Policy at LSE blog, 1 February.
• Hellowell, M (2012), 'Private financing is here to stay despite "PFIs" being consigned to history', British Politics and Policy at LSE blog, 1 February.
• BBC One (2011), 'Who is getting rich on your money?' (Interview), Panorama, 28 November.
• Neville, S and Plimmer, G (2011), 'PFI dead in current form, Treasury signals' (Interview), Financial Times, 14 November.
  
• Hellowell, M (2011), 'Analysis: Do the health reforms mean privatisation?', GP Business, 25 May.
• Channel 4 News (2011), 'Coalition increases 'discredited' PFI schemes' (Interview), 18 April.
  
• Hellowell, M (2011), 'Don't write off the private finance initiative just yet', LGC, 14 April (registration required).
• Hellowell, M (2011), 'Payback time for the PFI?', Public Finance, 28 March.
• Hellowell, M (2011), 'Tough talk', Health Investor, March, Vol 8, no 2. Available at: http://www.healthinvestor.co.uk/ (subscription only).
• Hellowell, M (2010), 'Not so fast', Public Finance, 16 September.
• Hellowell, M (2010), 'Digging deeper', Public Finance, 30 April.
  
• Hellowell, M (2010), 'Structural deficit', Public Finance, 29 January.
  
• Hellowell, M (2009), 'A potential conflict of interest', Local Government Chronicle, 23 September 2009 (subscription only).
• Hellowell, M (2009), 'PFI: money to Burn', The Guardian, 15 July 2009.
  
• Hellowell, M (2009), 'Loss of Initiative', The Guardian, 4 February 2009.
  
• Hellowell, M (2008), 'Unhealthy Option?', Public Finance, 31 October 2008. Available: 
• Hellowell, M (2008), 'Is PFI on the critical list?', Public Finance, 29 August 2008. Available: 
• Hellowell, M (2008) 'Scotland backtracks on private finance', The Guardian - Public. March. Page 43. Londong: The Guardian.
• Hellowell M and Pollock AM (2007), 'The big payback'. The Guardian. 12 September.
  
• Hellowell M. (2006) 'Alive and kicking'. Public Finance, November 2006.
  
• Hellowell M. (2006) 'Saving private finance'. Public Finance. April 2006.
• Hellowell M. (2006) 'PFI: a suitable case for treatment?', Public Finance. February 2006.
  
• Hellowell M.(2005) 'Public Opinion'. The Times, 25 October.
• Hellowell  M. (2005) 'Public Opinion'. The Times, 17 May.
• Hellowell M.( 2005) 'Public Opinion'. The Times, 1 March.
  
• Hellowell, M (2003): 'Bond on the run'. Health Service Journal. 18th September, Volume II3, No. 5873, Page 31. Available at: http://www.hsj.co.uk (registration required).
• Hellowell, M (2003):  'Credit where due'. Health Service Journal. 21 August, Vol. 109, No 5869, Pages 26-27. Available at: http://www.hsj.co.uk (registration required).

Teaching

Mark is the Postgraduate Adviser for the Social Policy Subject Area. He is Programme Director of the MSc Health Systems and Public Policy. He is Course Organiser for three MSc courses:

1. Economic issues in Health Policy 
2. Introduction to Health Systems, and
3. Health Systems Reform and Public Private Partnerships.

He is also a lecturer on the MSc course Economic Issues in Public Policy and teaches on the Masters of Public Policy (MPP) course, run by the School's Academy of Government. Mark holds a Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

This page was last published on 1 February 2013