NHS Alliance calls for reassurances around NHS reforms
Released: 09/02/2011
The NHS Alliance has called on the Government to clarify major issues around the Health and Social Care Bill which could, otherwise, jeopardise the successful implementation of clinically-led commissioning, with significant consequences for the NHS and its patients
Michael Sobanja, chief executive of the NHS Alliance, said: “Clinically-led commissioning, as proposed in the Bill, provides the best chance for the NHS to deliver a truly integrated care for its patients, where local needs are fully met. This is something we have long campaigned for, hence the full support we have shown the Government’s reforms over the past months. However, some key aspects of the Bill leave open the possibility that service may become less integrated, less accountable, less fair and less transparent. So we need to make sure these are fully addressed.”
As the Health and Social Care Bill is subject to parliamentary scrutiny, the NHS Alliance calls for clear, written commitments from the Government on three key issues:
1. Competition
Competition should be used to stimulate greater integration of services and not fragment them. Specifically, the “ Any Willing Provider” should be a policy which ensures that commissioners are able to nurture effective collaboration between diverse, innovative, high-quality providers and not a general policy which can be used to flood the provider market and undermine commissioning based on local needs.
2. Public Accountability
Commissioning should remain both now and in the future publicly accountable, a function that should be undertaken by statutory bodies acting on behalf of and accountable to local communities.
3. Making commissioning-led a reality
The rhetoric about a commissioning-led NHS must be cemented in reality – one that requires commissioners to work with providers, but to hold ultimate responsibility and authority to meet local needs; for regulators to act in a manner supportive of commissioning requirements; and for the national commissioning board to adopt a style of management which is truly enabling and empowering.
Other detailed issues, which require urgent written clarification in relation to the Bill itself, are:
• Whether GP commissioning consortia will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act – as they should be, in line with the Coalition Government’s core principles of openness and transparency. This must not become the territory of ‘commercial in confidence’ withholding of information about the use of public money.
• That the Government will remove any tensions between section 24D of the Bill (the clause that requires practices to act in a manner consistent with consortia policy) and the duties conferred on individual GPs by the GMC and the contractual elements of practice-held contracts (GMS, PMS and others)
• That the adoption of maximum tariff pricing will be used in the context of assured quality of service.
Mr Sobanja added: “The direction of travel is absolutely right, and the Alliance needs to ensure that our values for the NHS – putting the public and patient interest first; accountability; equity; transparency – are honoured by the reforms. We are fully committed to clinically-led commissioning and we believe that clarification of these issues would enhance the current reform programme and mitigate implementation risks often associated with significant change.”
Ends.
Notes to editors:
1. NHS Alliance brings together GP consortia, PCTs, clinicians and managers as the leading organisation in primary care. We are an independent non-political membership organisation proud to be at the forefront of clinically-led commissioning. Its leaders are all dedicated professionals, who represent the Alliance’s diverse membership, working ceaselessly to meet the challenges facing the NHS today. Find out more at www.nhsalliance.org
2. For more information, please email pressoffice@nhsalliance.org or call 07772756674.