Press release: NHS Confederation responds to Conservative health plans

17 Feb 2005

The NHS Confederation has expressed serious concerns about new Conservative health plans announced today for 'local inspection teams' to be given authority to shut hospital wards.

Dr Gill Morgan, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "Reducing hospital acquired infections is already a top priority for hospital managers. We are confident that NHS trusts can be trusted to act responsibly by shutting wards that are affected by such infections.

"We believe it is grossly unfair to accuse NHS managers, working with doctors, nurses and other frontline staff, of chasing government targets at the expense of safe patient care but we want to see more flesh on the bones of these proposals before commenting in detail."

However, Dr Morgan welcomed other elements of the Tory health plans. She said: "We strongly support any initiatives to streamline decision making and increase the local accountability of health services. "Foundation Trust status is already enabling the pioneers of this new model of NHS management to make a real difference. They are leading new approaches to giving local people a say about their health services and developing new ways of delivering services to meet patients' needs."

 

Notes for editors

The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, foundation trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; NHS boards and special boards in Scotland; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

Contact details

Contact Media Relations Manager Matt Akid on 020 7074 3306

Back to media centre