Press release: NHS Confederation welcomes Healthcare for All report
29 Jul 2008
Commenting on the publication of Sir Jonathan Michael's report, Healthcare for All, Steve Barnett, Acting Chief Executive at the NHS Confederation which represents over 95% of NHS organisations said:
"We welcome the publication of Sir Jonathan Michael's important report and his comprehensive recommendations. The NHS completely accepts the need to urgently address poor practice building on what is known about good quality care.
"MENCAP's report, Death by Indifference with the tragic cases it recounted revealed unacceptable care and made very difficult reading for anyone involved in the delivery of healthcare.
"We must get to the heart of how NHS organisations, clinicians and other staff engage with patients and vulnerable individuals. This will require a change in culture, not just policy. We agree with Sir Jonathan's analysis that the legislative framework is already in place and the issues are deeper.
"Bringing about the wider culture change is a clear leadership agenda - the challenge for boards is to ensure providing first class services for people with learning disabilities is a fundamental part of the service they offer. We believe that listening to people with learning disabilities and staff training and awareness are two key areas to address. NHS organisations which offer the best services actively seek out and learn from the needs of the people they serve, including those with learning disabilities. NHS employers recognise there is a need for increased understanding of learning disability issues amongst healthcare staff and therefore support recommendations to increase staff training and awareness."
The NHS Confederation will be studying his report carefully and we will identify specific work we can take forward with our members to spread learning and good practice.
Foundation Trust Network director Sue Slipman said:
"In our evidence to the enquiry, the Foundation Trust Network highlighted examples of best practice among Foundation Trusts. We suggested building up twinning arrangements between boards of acute and mental health Foundation Trusts, which was reflected in the report's recommendations. We will be working with our members to ensure this work and the report's other recommendations are taken forward"
ENDS
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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