Press release: NHS Confederation response to Commissioning a Patient-led NHS

28 Jul 2005

John McIvor, Vice-Chair of the NHS Confederation's PCT Chief Executives Forum, has responded to today's publication of the Department of Health document 'Commissioning a Patient-led NHS':

John, who is Chief Executive of Rotherham PCT, said: "This document sets out a clear direction of travel for the future of both primary care trusts and strategic health authorities and provides some much-needed clarity with a clear timetable of key dates for local consultation.

"We are pleased that the Department of Health has reflected many of the points made in the NHS Confederation discussion paper 'A Future Vision for PCTs' which we published recently.

"As we stressed in our discussion paper, it is crucial that any restructuring of PCTs and SHAs is rooted in what is best for patients and does not side-track us from delivering reforms to improve the quality of primary healthcare."

The NHS Confederation welcomes the national clarity provided by 'Commissioning a Patient-led NHS' but wants primary care organisations to be given local flexibility.

John McIvor said: "Local NHS organisations and stakeholders must be empowered to find local solutions to the challenge of restructuring the health service because there is no 'cookie cutter' solution that will prescribe a single best fit, shape or size for organisations.

"We would urge the Department of Health to ensure that any consultation on the restructuring of primary care organisations is co-ordinated with the forthcoming public consultation on out of hospital care because otherwise this will be a missed opportunity to improve care for patients.

"Some services may still be best provided by PCTs and there will need to be honest debates locally about the options. And the quality of primary care services provided to patients must not be compromised by the department's call for 15 per cent cost savings across the board."

The NHS Confederation also stressed that robust HR processes must be put in place to ensure that all NHS staff affected by the restructure of primary care organisations are treated fairly."

 

Notes for editors

The NHS Confederation represents more than 90 per cent of the organisations that make up the NHS throughout the UK. Its 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. 

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