Responding to NHS England’s announcement of the
Long-term Plan, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS
Confederation, which represents organisations across the
healthcare sector, said:
A NEW ERA - BUT BEWARE OF
OVER-PROMISING
“This plan heralds an end of austerity for the NHS
and as such marks the dawn of a new era – one in which we will
need to transform the way services are delivered to patients and
the public.
“The plan looks set to promise a host of
improvements, including in areas such as maternity care,
children’s services, cancer care, mental health and heart
disease. It will also signal significantly more investment in
community care, much greater use of digital technology and more
emphasis on prevention.
“We very much welcome the increased funding for the
NHS and the vision to strengthen and improve services. But the
plan cannot escape the harsh reality that the NHS will still face
tough decisions on what it can and cannot do. Our plea is that
politicians be honest about the trade offs that will be required
and that we are realistic about what can be achieved given the
ever increasing demands of an ageing
population.
“The next few years will be about balancing the need
to keep the NHS going, overcoming the large deficits in many
hospitals and other NHS organisations, delivering some
improvements, and preparing for new ways of delivering care that
will make the NHS sustainable. This is not about miracles - money
will be tight and staffing will remain a headache for years to
come. Getting a long term strategy for the NHS workforce is
crucial.
"The ambitions in the plan will also in part be
determined by factors beyond the NHS' control. The Government
must find a solution to the social care crisis that has seen
thousands of people no longer receiving the care and support they
need. It must also follow through on its commitment to improve
the health of the nation through better prevention by overturning
the significant cuts we have seen to public health budgets.
Failure to address these issues will continue to place
significant extra pressure on front-line NHS
services.
“We now need to see the detail of the plan. Plans are
fine but the challenge is how they are implemented and we will be
watching closely to see whether this plan meets three key tests
of it set by our members who are leading front-line services: is
it deliverable and affordable; does it enable care to shift out
of hospitals and closer to people’s homes; and does it give local
leaders the freedom they need to shape and develop the health
services required in their area?”
