Sunday, October 15, 2006
NHS Lessons to be learnt nationally and locally
MORE THAN HALF OF NHS BODIES NEED TO IMPROVE
More than half of NHS bodies in England need to improve the quality of their services or their financial management, the Healthcare Commission have found (see local information in report below). Primary Care Trusts fared particularly badly. Trust re-organisation was cited as possible reasons for the findings.
Lib Dem Shadow Health Secretary Steve Webb MP said: "This is a reality check for a Government which claims that NHS deficits are only a problem in a minority of cases. Crippling deficits are evidence of the chaos wrought across the NHS by the Government’s breakneck pace of reform. The NHS does not need more short term action plans, it needs a period of long-term stability, free from constant Government meddling."
Lib Dem Shadow Health Secretary Steve Webb MP said: "This is a reality check for a Government which claims that NHS deficits are only a problem in a minority of cases. Crippling deficits are evidence of the chaos wrought across the NHS by the Government’s breakneck pace of reform. The NHS does not need more short term action plans, it needs a period of long-term stability, free from constant Government meddling."
The Healthcare Commission said its "broad and tough" analysis showed the NHS needed to "raise its game". The body representing NHS managers said underperforming trusts could now focus on areas where improvement was needed. The "health check", which uses patient reports and hospital self-assessments as well as other financial and quality data to compile its rankings, replaces the discredited hotel-style "star ratings".
Factors assessed for the quality of service ranking included clinical care, meeting government targets and areas such as children's health, hospital acquired infection rates and community mental health care.
The financial management rating took into account both whether or not the NHS body had a deficit, but also how it ran its finances more generally
Factors assessed for the quality of service ranking included clinical care, meeting government targets and areas such as children's health, hospital acquired infection rates and community mental health care.
The financial management rating took into account both whether or not the NHS body had a deficit, but also how it ran its finances more generally
The commission found 51% of trusts were ranked "fair" for quality of services, while 9% were ranked "weak". And 47% were ranked "fair" for financial management, with 37% deemed "weak".
Cllr.John Beanse commented: "Locally it is no surprise that both Waltham Forest PCT and Whipps Cross are judged to be WEAK for financial management. The PCT was only FAIR for quality of services, but it is welcome news that Whipps Cross had a favourable GOOD for quality of services. This gives valuable support to the campaign to maintain services at this local hospital for the people of Waltham Forest - and also western parts of Redbridge of course. The PCT should take note of this result. Their strategy seems to be to ratchet down activity at Whipps in order to sort out their own financial problems. Whipps Cross deserves support."
# posted by John Beanse @ 7:23 PM 
