NHS Confederation responds to PM speech

The NHS Confederation has issued a response to the speech by Gordon Brown regarding the future health policy in the UK.

Describing the prime minister’s agenda as “ambitious”, the group said that it should be welcomed by staff in the NHS, with the confederation looking forward to helping Mr Brown realise is vision of a technological revolution in health in conjunction with genuine empowerment of patients.

The body adds that the key success in the health service is increased accountability in the NHS and real local autonomy.

Nigel Edwards, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said: “We therefore welcome the prime minister’s commitment to a more local control over services.

“We urge him to trust local professionals and leaders to know best how to improve their services for local people.”

He added that the Mr Brown must resist the temptation to implement top-down targets and instead trust clinicians and managers in the health service to set priorities for local areas.

Steve Barnett, the director of NHS Employers, said that the organisation supports any plans that enables the NHS to help their staff have healthier lives, citing the positive example of trusts offering lunchtime walks and swimming sessions.

At the start of the year, reports emerged that the prime minister was considering the drafting of an NHS “constitution” to help secure the future of the NHS.