Health secretary discusses additional NHS savings

Improving the quality of healthcare goes hand-in-hand with better value for money, it has been claimed.

Health secretary Alan Johnson made this comment after the Department of Health (DoH) announced it would contribute 2.3 billion pounds in additional savings across the public sector.

In reaction to the current economic climate and to put into practice Lord Ara Darzi’s vision of high quality, the NHS is putting the money aside and it will be delivered as part of the Treasury led Public Value Programme.

Mr Johnson noted that if the NHS works to deliver high-class treatment, it can reduce expenditure in the long term.

“Getting it right first time for patients means better care, but also better value for money as it avoids costly follow ups to put mistakes right,” he remarked.

The additional savings will help the NHS be in a good position to help the country during the financial downturn, while also contributing to the economy by being the UK’s largest employer, Mr Johnson concluded.

Earlier this week, the DoH announced a 5.5 million pound programme to support third-sector organisations.