There is an urgent need to address clinical variation, reduce waste and eliminate inefficiency in the NHS.
There is an urgent need to address clinical variation, reduce waste and eliminate inefficiency, in order to achieve a sustainable NHS. The solution ‘lies within’, according to The King’s Fund chief executive, Chris Ham. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.
Speaking at an annual congress, hosted by the British Society of Gastroenterology, Chris Ham, chief executive of The King’s Fund, discussed “why doctors must lead efforts to improve performance of the NHS”, during challenging times. He pointed out that the NHS budget has never been so constrained.
“There has been no budget increase, apart from a small amount to cover inflation, during the past four years and this is expected to continue until 2021. It will be a decade of austerity,” warned Chris Ham, adding that the NHS has been relatively protected compared to other public services. However, part of the ring-fenced budget has been diverted to councils for social care, tasked with delivering greater care integration.
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