Government plans NHS review

Newly-appointed prime minister Gordon Brown and health secretary Alan Johnson have announced plans for a comprehensive review of the NHS to investigate the various challenges facing the health service over the next decade.

Due to be led by surgeon Professor Ara Darzi, the report is due to be completed ahead of July 2008 – the 60th anniversary of the NHS.

The review will explore a number of key issues, including cooperation with NHS staff regarding the decision-making process and improvements in patient care with a focus on joined-up services for those with chronic conditions.

Additionally, the review will explore the means of achieving increased accessibility and convenience in healthcare provision and a decrease in centralisation with a focus on patient control and choice.

Mr Brown said: “Lasting change can only come from clinicians and staff. We need to do much more to empower staff, to give them the time with patients that they need to improve care, to put them in the lead in developing ideas on improving patient care, and to respect their professionalism.”

He added that this review will see a unique level of consultation and engagement with NHS employees across the country in order to best involve staff in the transformation of the health service.

In his first speech as prime minister last week, Mr Brown said that the British people had expressed a need for change – including reform of the NHS – while calling for this “work of change” to begin.