Press release: NHS Confederation responds to the Audit Commission review of the NHS financial year

23 Oct 2007

Commenting on the Audit Commission's report, Nigel Edwards, policy director of the NHS Confederation which represents over 95% of the organisations that make up the NHS, said:

"I am pleased to see that again NHS trusts are being praised for their performance.  After a very difficult period of reorganisation and financial deficits, the report rightly praises the hard work of NHS staff in turning things around.

"There are also a number of trusts, however, that continue to face financial difficulties.  Action plans are in place to deal with the complex problems they face.  These will be especially important following on from the pre-budget report and comprehensive spending review which make some really challenging assumptions on efficiency improvements.

"Most political parties recognise that further NHS reorganisation would be counter-productive.  This report provides stark evidence of the cost of reorganisations.  In future we must be crystal clear about the benefits before embarking so quickly on such large scale structural change."

Notes for editors

The NHS Confederation represents more than 95% 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.

Contact details

Contact Ruby Casey-Knight 020 7074 3306, Niall Smith 020 7074 3304 or 077 6777 0309 or Ruth Kennedy 020 7074 3312 or 078 8447 3086.  For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.

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