This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/07/health-chief-tears-into-jeremy-hunts-nhs-policies

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Health chief tears into Jeremy Hunt's NHS policies Health chief tears into Jeremy Hunt's NHS policies
(5 months later)
Jeremy Hunt may have to follow Iain Duncan Smith’s example and resign because a lack of NHS funding could endanger patient safety, according to an ex-Downing Street health adviser.Jeremy Hunt may have to follow Iain Duncan Smith’s example and resign because a lack of NHS funding could endanger patient safety, according to an ex-Downing Street health adviser.
The health secretary will have to “examine his conscience” about staying in the cabinet because improvements he initiated after the Mid Staffs scandal are under threat, said Prof Chris Ham, the head of the King’s Fund thinktank.The health secretary will have to “examine his conscience” about staying in the cabinet because improvements he initiated after the Mid Staffs scandal are under threat, said Prof Chris Ham, the head of the King’s Fund thinktank.
Related: Jeremy Hunt is in trouble. This is his IDS moment | Chris Ham
“Hunt now faces unpalatable choices about the direction of health policy, akin to the dilemmas that led Iain Duncan Smith to resign as work and pensions secretary. Just as Duncan Smith felt his mission to reform welfare was undermined by budget cuts, so Hunt’s ambition to improve quality of care is at risk from financial constraints.“Hunt now faces unpalatable choices about the direction of health policy, akin to the dilemmas that led Iain Duncan Smith to resign as work and pensions secretary. Just as Duncan Smith felt his mission to reform welfare was undermined by budget cuts, so Hunt’s ambition to improve quality of care is at risk from financial constraints.
“He will have to examine his conscience if funding pressures mean a reversal of policies to improve patient care that he was instrumental in developing”, Ham writes in an article for the Guardian.“He will have to examine his conscience if funding pressures mean a reversal of policies to improve patient care that he was instrumental in developing”, Ham writes in an article for the Guardian.
Potential cuts to their workforces by hospital trusts in order to help balance the books could undermine efforts to ensure safe care. “This will be a personal challenge for Jeremy Hunt, who has led the drive to ensure safe staffing levels.”Potential cuts to their workforces by hospital trusts in order to help balance the books could undermine efforts to ensure safe care. “This will be a personal challenge for Jeremy Hunt, who has led the drive to ensure safe staffing levels.”
With the health service’s planned 1% budget rises in the next few years not enough to meet rising demand “it is not credible to expect it to survive in its present form under these financial pressures”, adds Ham, who was a member of the coalition government’s shortlived NHS “kitchen cabinet” in 2011-12.With the health service’s planned 1% budget rises in the next few years not enough to meet rising demand “it is not credible to expect it to survive in its present form under these financial pressures”, adds Ham, who was a member of the coalition government’s shortlived NHS “kitchen cabinet” in 2011-12.
Ministers refuse to acknowledge that the NHS has too little money to do its job properly, much less expand into a seven-day service, he claims. Ham writes: “The risk ... is there will be a continuing decline in NHS performance with cuts in staff, compromises to quality of care and patients waiting longer for treatment. Observing the NHS today is like watching a car crash about to happen.”Ministers refuse to acknowledge that the NHS has too little money to do its job properly, much less expand into a seven-day service, he claims. Ham writes: “The risk ... is there will be a continuing decline in NHS performance with cuts in staff, compromises to quality of care and patients waiting longer for treatment. Observing the NHS today is like watching a car crash about to happen.”
In the new edition of the Health Service Journal, its editor, Alastair McLellan, writes that Hunt “knows the end is near” of his three-and-a-half year stint as health secretary and appears “eager for the sweet release of a reshuffle”.In the new edition of the Health Service Journal, its editor, Alastair McLellan, writes that Hunt “knows the end is near” of his three-and-a-half year stint as health secretary and appears “eager for the sweet release of a reshuffle”.
Labour claimed that Hunt seemed “blind” to the NHS’s escalating financial crisis. “Jeremy Hunt talks a good game about patient care, but his actions tell a very different story”, said Lord Hunt, the shadow health minister.Labour claimed that Hunt seemed “blind” to the NHS’s escalating financial crisis. “Jeremy Hunt talks a good game about patient care, but his actions tell a very different story”, said Lord Hunt, the shadow health minister.
“Nobody believes his plan to impose £22bn of efficiency savings on the NHS won’t put patient care at risk. The financial pressures he is putting hospitals under is going to lead to cuts in staff, closure of services and rationing of treatment. This will be bad for the NHS and, ultimately, bad for patients too.”“Nobody believes his plan to impose £22bn of efficiency savings on the NHS won’t put patient care at risk. The financial pressures he is putting hospitals under is going to lead to cuts in staff, closure of services and rationing of treatment. This will be bad for the NHS and, ultimately, bad for patients too.”
The Department of Health declined to respond to Ham’s comparison of Hunt to Duncan Smith. A spokesman said only that: “We are investing £10bn to fund the NHS’s own five-year plan – more than the NHS estimated it needed, including nearly £4bn just this year.The Department of Health declined to respond to Ham’s comparison of Hunt to Duncan Smith. A spokesman said only that: “We are investing £10bn to fund the NHS’s own five-year plan – more than the NHS estimated it needed, including nearly £4bn just this year.
“Delivering high quality, safe care and maintaining a grip on finances go hand in hand. It isn’t an either-or choice that NHS leaders should be making.”“Delivering high quality, safe care and maintaining a grip on finances go hand in hand. It isn’t an either-or choice that NHS leaders should be making.”