Press release: NHS Confederation responds to Prime Minister's letter to NHS staff

01 Jan 2008

Commenting on the Prime Minister's letter, Dr Gill Morgan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation which represents over 95 per cent of NHS organisations said:

"At the start of the NHS's 60th anniversary year, it is really encouraging to see that the Prime Minister's first thought is with its staff.

"The NHS has come a long way in the last 60 years and recent investment has allowed us to make faster progress towards delivering a 21st century healthcare system which we would all be proud to use for ourselves and our family.

"Reaching these standards is a constant challenge. In this jubilee year, we must resist the urge to tinker with further structural changes and concentrate on ensuring excellent technical treatment is twinned with responsive care tailored to individual needs and experience.

"Underlining all this is a welcome commitment - endorsed by all main political parties - to an NHS funded by taxation. As greater knowledge makes diagnosis more complicated it is only tax funded systems that will be able to provide universal care which is the hallmark of our NHS.

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 Niall Smith 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309, Ruth Kennedy 020 7074 3312 or 07884 47 3086, or Ruby Casey-Knight 020 7074 3306 or 07881 957305. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.

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