Press release: NHS Confederation comment on community hospitals announcement

05 Jul 2006

Dr Gill Morgan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation which represents over 90 per cent of NHS organisations, said:

"This renewed investment in community NHS services is an important step in bringing care closer to patients in local, more convenient settings.

"Patients needs are changing and the NHS must adapt to meet those needs - whether this be x-ray and surgical procedures being undertaken locally or chemotherapy and blood testing in people's homes."

"These new types of services will not necessarily require more hospital beds. We need to move away from a fixation with bricks and mortar and start to think more creatively about how we provide services for large numbers of patients in more convenient community settings.

"The challenge is for primary care trusts will be to use this money wisely to maximise the gains for a large proportion of their patients. The extra cash will only make a difference in providing viable services if PCTs can afford to maintain the services they develop."

ENDS

 

Notes for editors

1. The NHS Confederation represents more than 90 per cent of the organisations that make up the NHS. Its members include the majority of NHS acute trusts, ambulance trusts, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, primary care trusts, special health authorities and strategic health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

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