Storm clouds gathering over the NHS, say its leaders
pharmafile | June 20, 2012 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Mike Farrar, NHS Confederation, NHS reforms, reforms
NHS managers are using their annual conference to criticise the government’s savings programmes.
The government is looking to make £20 billion in savings by 2015 by increasing Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention – the QIPP agenda.
But the NHS Confederation, which represents managers in the health service, believe that this is putting them under too much strain, and is being compounded by the recent Health and Social Care Act.
Speaking ahead of the Confederation’s conference in Manchester today, its chief executive Mike Farrar said: “Despite huge efforts to maintain standards of patient care in the current financial year, healthcare leaders are deeply concerned about the storm clouds that are gathering around the NHS.”
He said a new survey conducted by the Confederation from its members shows that many NHS leaders see the health service’s financial situation getting worse, and are concerned that this will negatively impact patients.
The survey revealed that his members were worried about a number of issues, including a tight financial position and the “chronic failure of political leadership to secure the public support for the changes they know are needed”.
They also say that the affect of the NHS reforms, which will abolish many of their positions next year and replace them with groups of GPs, is only making their task harder.
The survey also revealed concern over whether the system would be ready for the April 2013 handover, with fewer than 40% of respondents confident CCGs would be ready to effectively discharge their roles next year.
Farrar said that in response, NHS managers are now cutting costs in the short-term, but believes that longer-term they will turn to more radical solutions to make these savings.
“Frankly, without action on the way we provide health and social care, the NHS looks like a super-tanker heading for an iceberg.
“The danger is clearly in view and looming ever larger. We know what needs to happen. But are we going to be able to take the assertive action needed in time?”
He also said that the government and the NHS had to ‘be brave’ and make tough decisions to ensure the future of the health service.
These ‘tough decisions’ include closing down hospitals and re-configuring care to community based centres – something opposed by the public, but the Confederaiton, backed up by the King’s Fund, believe this is necessary to cut back on costs and deliver better care.
Farrar concluded: “I genuinely believe we can achieve a better and sustainable NHS, but as the survey suggests we face a mighty struggle unless we take the necessary steps as soon as possible.”
Follow the event
The NHS Confederation’s annual conference is running over the next three days in Manchester, and includes speeches from the health secretary Andrew Lansley and the head of the NHS Commissioning Board Sir David Nicholson.
You can follow the speeches via the Twitter hashtag #confed2012 or through the Confederation’s account @NHSC_conference
InPharm will also keep you up to date on the big issues coming from this week’s event.
Ben Adams
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