Press release: NHS management confident that increased funding is paying off for patients
10 Apr 2003
The results of a survey of NHS opinion, conducted by the NHS Confederation and the HSJ, released today, show that 88% of NHS leaders are confident that their local NHS organisation is already providing a better service to patients compared to a year ago. 77% of survey respondents are also optimistic their NHS organisation will make further improvements over the next three years, despite ongoing capacity constraints.
The survey results coincide with this month's national insurance rise to pay for increased health spending, As questions are raised about whether the investment is delivering results, the NHS Confederation and the Health Service Journal joined forces to canvass the views of NHS leaders. Of the 149 respondents to a survey sent to Confederation members and HSJ readers, the majority were NHS senior managers including 64 chief executives and 49 medical, clinical or finance directors.
The top three improvements to local NHS organisations in the last year, cited in the survey, suggest that resources are already being translated into significant benefits to patients. When asked to identify the most important improvements to the patient experience, 52% of respondents identified improvements to specific services such as cancer care, 38% highlighted improved waiting times and 23% identified greater patient and public involvement in the delivery of services.
However, budget constraints (83%), staff shortages (59%) and lack of time (45%) were cited as the top three most significant barriers to transforming patient care. 43% of respondents also cited too many targets and 15% identified the reporting burden as another key obstacle.
Supporting and developing staff and recruitment and retention emerged from the survey as key priorities for NHS organisations in the future. Engaging clinicians, maintaining staff morale and developing clinical governance were also highlighted as key challenges ahead. The survey revealed a mixed picture on the job satisfaction of NHS staff. Nearly a third (32%) of those surveyed believed job satisfaction and morale is improving in their organisation, 43% saw no change and 19% believe it is declining.
Gill Morgan, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation said: "The survey demonstrates that the additional money is already delivering results. Real progress is being made in key areas like cancer care, waiting times and giving patients a greater say about how services are provided. And after decades of under-investment there is a growing sense of optimism about the prospects for future improvement.
"We now need a further drive to tackle the capacity constraints that continue to hamper local improvement efforts. But we also need to give NHS staff the space and time to step back from the day to day, to enable real innovation and new ways of working that will really transform the patient experience."
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