Johnson defends NHS reform plans to MPs
pharmafile | July 26, 2007 | News story | |
The health secretary Alan Johnson has defended his decision to carry out a once-in-a-generation reform of the NHS in England.
He told MPs at a special Health Select Committee hearing the NHS Next Stage Review would build on past investment and reform by involving the public and NHS staff in the process.
During the two-hour session Johnson expressed his scepticism with the idea of an independent NHS and ruled out any further top down changes to the way PCTs and SHAs are organised.
He said there would be "no more structural reorganisation for the foreseeable future and, as far as I'm concerned, that means for as long as I'm Secretary of State."
The Health Select Committee wanted to hear Johnson's views on the current state of the NHS and his priorities for the future and asked him to appear less than two weeks after he announced a major year-long review of the NHS.
There was standing room only at the hearing and Johnson quickly warmed up in front of the committee, smiling and making the occasional quip.
He said that with the new government and the approach of the 60th anniversary of the NHS, now was the ideal time for the Next Stage Review of the NHS.
Health Minister and leading surgeon Professor Ara Darzi will conduct the comprehensive review of the NHS and how it serves patients. Darzi's appointment and his consultation process for the review is part of a government drive to show it can engage with NHS staff.
"[There's] a feeling by the staff that the changes that have taken place and led to better outcomes, things have been done to them, rather than with them, and there's a real issue about morale," Johnson acknowledged.
"I think its the time to have what we're calling the Next Stage review to say 'how do we build on the investment and reform to go to the next stage of the NHS journey and do that by really involving not just patients and the public, but people working in the NHS?'"
Johnson was appointed Health Secretary earlier this month, replacing the deeply unpopular Patricia Hewitt.
He professed to be a huge admirer of his predecessor's achievements, particularly her handling of NHS deficits, but admitted there could have had a bit less structural reorganisation.
He said that, like Hewitt, he was not convinced by the idea of an independent NHS as proposed by Gordon Brown a few months before he became Prime Minister.
"It's very unlikely it would happen," Johnson said ."I think politicians, whether we like it or not - and I do happen to like it – are always going to have a responsibility for the NHS."
Overall, his message to the Health Select Committee was one of increased collaboration with healthcare professionals and looking to the future rather than past. To this end he said he would not revisit any of Patricia Hewitt's decisions.
