Press release: NHS Confederation responds to chief executives report to the NHS 2002/3
16 May 2003
In response to the publication of the report into the key activities for the NHS for 2002/3, the Confederation confirmed NHS leaders recognise the story of improvement and highlighted a number of policy shifts will be necessary to support transformation of the NHS.
The report reflects the results of a new Confederation survey into the opinion of NHS leaders. This showed 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 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.
Gill Morgan, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation said: "Our survey and today's report demonstrate 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."
Ends
Notes for editors
- 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 and local health boards in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
- The NHS Confederation undertook the survey jointly with the HSJ in April, 2003. The survey was sent to chief executives, chairs, PEC chairs and medical directors of PCTs, Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities in England. 149 responses were received. Visit: /news/news_release.asp?ID=388 for further analysis.
Contact details
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