Ahead of a speech by the health and social care secretary at NHS
Providers conference tomorrow at which he will set out a series
of ‘tough' reforms for the NHS, the deputy chief executive of NHS
Providers, Saffron Cordery said:
“Trust leaders know the NHS needs to work differently and go
further and faster to clear the backlog and ensure patients are
seen as quickly as possible. This is their number one priority.
They are pulling out all the stops to boost productivity while
delivering tough efficiency measures.
“As Lord Darzi recognised this in his recent review, commissioned
by the government, the scale of the challenge facing them is
huge.“
“It's vital we take decisive action to tackle the deep-rooted
causes of pressures on the health services including the lack of
resources for public health, prevention and social care, chronic
workforce shortages, financial shortfalls and historic
under-investment in the bricks and mortar of the NHS which
underpin so many of the challenges we face today.
“Taking steps to resolve these root causes is critical before any
plans to introduce league tables and threats to “sack failing
managers” are even put on the table.
“Trust leaders are highly accountable, subject to rigorous
standards and stand ready to tackle the challenges ahead, as they
have always been. League tables bring with them significant risk
of unintended consequences.
“It is welcome however, that the government is now ready to look
at changes to obstructive capital spending rules so that trusts
can tackle the near £14bn maintenance backlog, provide safe
surroundings and boost NHS productivity.
“With the health and social care secretary due to address health
leaders at our conference today, it's vital the government looks
again at how it can work constructively with leaders entrusted to
see the NHS through one of the most challenging periods in its
history so that together, patients get the timely access to care
we all want to see."
