Press release: NHS Confederation calls on Government to go further in decentralising the NHS
13 Nov 2002
Responding to the Health Bill announced in the Queen's Speech today, and its proposals for Foundation Hospitals, Gill Morgan, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation said:
"The NHS Confederation has long argued that we need to tackle Whitehall micro-management of the health service. This is vital if we're to develop a more responsive, locally accountable service, with NHS staff fully engaged in the improvement agenda.
"We believe that Foundations could be one way of releasing hospitals from Whitehall control, and a first step towards a more decentralised NHS. But they must not distract from the more far-reaching Government commitment to a wide ranging programme of deregulation for all hospitals, not just the top ten.1"
Gill added: "The Government has established the devolution of power to frontline staff as one of its founding principles of public service reform. It must now have the courage of its convictions and give more NHS organisations greater freedom to innovate and respond to local needs.
"The ultimate goal must be a more decentralised health service which has moved beyond the current preoccupation with hospitals to focus on delivering integrated services for all patients, whatever their care needs."
Ends
Notes for editors
- See the Government's statement on Foundation Hospitals on 9 October 2002.
- A copy of the NHS Confederation's Queen's Speech briefing is available from the NHS Confederation media office on 020 7959 7240 (07880 500726 out of hours).
- The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts, health authorities and local health groups in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
Contact details
- Contact Media Relations Manager Joanna Clason on 020 7074 3306 or 07798 571078 or Senior Media Officer Amy Darlington on 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
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