NHS Confederation responds to government cuts to NHS regulatory bodies

Responding to the Department of Health and Social Care's announcement it will cut a number of regulatory bodies, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

“Health leaders fully recognise the importance of making sure the voice of patients and their wider communities in how their services and planned and delivered is listened to, and that the feedback they give guides and shapes where improvements need to be made.

“Patient empowerment is crucial to the success of the government’s forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan, both in how and where the care provided to patients is delivered, but also in the ways that the public themselves can support their own wellbeing, manage their conditions more independently, and live healthier lives.

“The government has already announced plans to reduce costs from within the NHS, so it is understandable that some consolidation may be needed around the way national health policy is developed too. Any opportunity to reduce duplication should be welcomed particularly where any money saved can be invested back into frontline care.

“However, NHS leaders would encourage the government to not forget the failings in care that led to these bodies being set up in the first place and tread carefully so as to ensure their vital missions continue in future. Staff and patients will still need safe spaces where they can speak up.

“Local NHS organisations and other bodies will also need to be involved in this transformation as the immediate next steps and detail become clearer, so that a robust operating model that serves patients as best as possible is created.”