Press release: Survey results on future opportunities and threats for the NHS
18 Jun 2008
NHS leaders see quality, safety and commissioning as the key drivers for improvement in the NHS according to a poll to mark the start of the NHS Confederation's annual conference at Manchester Central this week.
Commenting on the poll findings, NHS Confederation chairman Bryan Stoten said: "As NHS leaders we believe markets are important but quality and safety trump everything. I concur completely - these must be right at the heart of our improvement agenda."
The survey found that for acute trusts patient safety is seen to be the biggest driver for improvement, followed by quality and integration of between primary and secondary care. For primary care trusts, the biggest drivers are seen to be world class commissioning, the shift from secondary to primary care, and quality and safety.
As the NHS approaches its 60th anniversary, its leaders are optimistic about the future - 96% are positive about prospects for significant improvements.
But they are not expecting a period of stability. 80% of respondents believe the pace of change will increase - no one thinks it will slow. Bryan Stoten commented, "Market reforms combined with innovation are likely to increase the pace of change. The danger of continuous change is burn-out so we will need to work hard at supporting staff and ensuring that the change agenda is being driven by them. We want the dynamism to come from within the service."
Consumerism is seen as a major opportunity for the NHS. This reflects the findings of the Confederation's debate paper 'Disruptive innovation: what does it mean for the NHS' launched today which describes "the potential to create a fundamental shift in the relationship between patients and the system."
Competition and choice is seen as an opportunity by 96% of NHS leaders but they also see it as a threat (69%). Bryan Stoten comments, "NHS leaders recognise this cuts both ways - they are not naive that everyone will win." They are very positive about the opportunity of the push for productivity (86%). Bryan Stoten commented, "They see this as a way to help them do the things they want to do like improve quality."
They are also very positive about technology (93% see as an opportunity), IT (91%) and telemedicine (93%).
The main threats were identified as a possible economic downturn, rising prices and further structural change. Bryan Stoten commented, "NHS leaders are understandably cynical about reassurances from the government and political parties around structural change."
Setting out the Confederation's vision for the NHS, chairman Bryan Stoten said:
"I firmly believe we shouldn't be waiting for policy to be delivered from on high. The future of the NHS is in our hands. We need to make our own weather."
"In the future, we are clear we won't be looking up - we will be looking to patients and the public. We will need to get much smarter at looking ahead and get better at strategic planning."
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.
- The NHS Confederation annual conference and exhibition 2008, Delivering the future today, is taking place on 18th-20th June at Manchester Central.
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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