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Government to press ahead with radical NHS reform plans Government to press ahead with radical NHS reform plans
(about 1 hour later)
By Dominic Hughes Health correspondent, BBC News
The government is expected to confirm it is to push ahead with big structural changes to the NHS in England.The government is expected to confirm it is to push ahead with big structural changes to the NHS in England.
Primary Care Trusts are to be abolished and, from 2013, family doctors will plan hospital care and manage the budgets to pay for it.Primary Care Trusts are to be abolished and, from 2013, family doctors will plan hospital care and manage the budgets to pay for it.
Hospitals will also be warned their funding could be docked if patients are forced to share mixed-sex wards.Hospitals will also be warned their funding could be docked if patients are forced to share mixed-sex wards.
Doctors have suggested dozens of ways the NHS in England can save money and improve care. Meanwhile, doctors and surgeons have given their suggestions on how to save money in an NHS Confederation report.
Despite recent criticism from some doctors, nurses and patients groups over changes to the way the NHS is run, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley will indicate he wants to press ahead with his reform programme when he gives his response to the public consultation on the government's plans. The government has carried out a public consultation on reforms plans and, despite criticism from some doctors, nurses and patients groups, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is set to indicate that he will press ahead.
Mr Lansley will outline the priorities for NHS trusts in England for the next year - and that will include a pledge to cut hospitals' funding from next April if patients are forced to share mixed sex wards. GP consortia
Labour ministers floated the same idea almost two years ago - and still mixed sex wards proved to be stubbornly persistent. Mr Lansley told the BBC that, from next April, hospitals would be "held to account" if they failed to get rid of mixed-sex wards.
But the main message from Mr Lansley will be that quality must not slip as the reforms to the NHS are pushed through. "We are not going to pay hospitals for providing a sub-standard service," he said. "Patients have a right to expect dignity and privacy and if there is a breach of that, that will be published."
Funding for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) for 2011-12 will also be revealed, the last year they will receive a full allocation of money before the reforms begin. Labour ministers floated the same idea almost two years ago, but mixed-sex wards have proved to be stubbornly persistent.
It is widely expected within the health service that PCTs will get a very small increase in their budgets.It is widely expected within the health service that PCTs will get a very small increase in their budgets.
That may not reduce the financial pressure on hospitals, which have seen their payment for treatments frozen this financial year.That may not reduce the financial pressure on hospitals, which have seen their payment for treatments frozen this financial year.
If the prices paid to hospitals, known as the tariff, do not keep pace with inflation they will continue to be at the sharp end of finding savings in the NHS.If the prices paid to hospitals, known as the tariff, do not keep pace with inflation they will continue to be at the sharp end of finding savings in the NHS.
It would increase the pressure to move some types of care out of hospitals and into the community.It would increase the pressure to move some types of care out of hospitals and into the community.
At the same time a new report by the think tank Civitas says abolishing PCTs in one go - a key part of the government's reorganisation of the NHS in England - could damage patient care. But the main message from Mr Lansley will be that quality must not slip as the reforms to the NHS are pushed through.
Civitas says getting rid of the trusts could cause delays to treatment and calls for a more "incremental approach" to reform. Funding for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) for 2011-12 is also set to be revealed - the last year they will receive a full allocation of money before the reforms begin.
Doctors and surgeons have also contributed ideas to help the NHS save money, with suggestions including making changes to policies on discharging patients, cutting surgical equipment waste and not doing unnecessary procedures PCTs are local organisations which control 80% of the NHS budget and are responsible for providing services such as hospitals, dentists and opticians.
Taken seriously All 151 in England are set to be scrapped, along with the next tier of organisation, the Strategic Health Authorities - 10 of which operate at a regional level.
For example many hospitals have different policies on discharging patients which can mean some people stay in longer than is necessary, leading to extra costs. In future, the bulk of the NHS budget will be allocated to GPs working in consortia across the country.
Surgeons have pointed out that the scare over CJD infection has led to expensive surgical equipment being thrown away after just one use. But a new report by think tank Civitas says abolishing PCTs outright could damage patient care and is calling for a more "incremental approach" to reform.
The report says the rules used to prevent infection from instruments is not based on reliable evidence. James Gubb, from Civitas, said the chaos caused by the sweeping changes could lead to delays in treatment.
The report was published by the NHS Confederation, which represents around 95% of the organisations that make up the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. "The coalition government needs to stop repeating the mistakes of the past by mandating wholesale structural change," he said."
NHS Confederation clinical director Hugo Mascie-Taylor said expert suggestions like these need to be taken seriously. "Instead, it should seek to build on the best of what currently exists in NHS commissioning while permitting entrepreneurial GPs to take over in areas where the desire is there or PCT-commissioning is failing."
Waste and inefficiency
Meanwhile, in another report for the NHS Confederation, which represents 95% of organisations that make up the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, staff have given their ideas to help save money.
For example, many hospitals have different policies on discharging patients which can mean some people stay in longer than is necessary.
Surgeons have also pointed out that scares over infection have led to expensive surgical equipment being thrown away after just one use.
NHS Confederation clinical director Hugo Mascie-Taylor said expert suggestions like these needed to be taken seriously.
"There are huge challenges facing the health service but what is heartening about this report is that there are ways both to save money and improve the care we provide to people."There are huge challenges facing the health service but what is heartening about this report is that there are ways both to save money and improve the care we provide to people.
"This is the start of an important debate and these ideas need to be considered carefully. The NHS treats millions of people a year and does so with care and professionalism but there are always ways to improve, to do things better and to reduce waste at the same time." "The NHS treats millions of people a year and does so with care and professionalism but there are always ways to improve, to do things better and to reduce waste at the same time."
The report comes as the NHS in England faces increasing financial pressures, not least the need to make up to £20bn in efficiency savings over the next four years. The NHS in England faces increasing financial pressures, not least the need to make up to £20bn in efficiency savings over the next four years.
On Tuesday the Commons Health Select Committee said meeting that target would test the NHS to the limit. On Tuesday, the Commons Health Select Committee said meeting that target would test the NHS to the limit.
The reforms do not affect the health service in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are devolved to their national administrations.The reforms do not affect the health service in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are devolved to their national administrations.