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NHS trusts 'can save £2bn a year' | NHS trusts 'can save £2bn a year' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The NHS could save £2.2bn a year by being more efficient in the way it works, the government has said. | The NHS could save £2.2bn a year by being more efficient in the way it works, the government has said. |
A Department of Health report noted wide variations in the way trusts in England dealt with emergency admissions and how long patients stayed. | A Department of Health report noted wide variations in the way trusts in England dealt with emergency admissions and how long patients stayed. |
The Department of Health is to send 16 "performance indicators" to all trusts, detailing how to improve and save cash. | The Department of Health is to send 16 "performance indicators" to all trusts, detailing how to improve and save cash. |
The government's chief medical officer has said unnecessary tonsillectomies and hysterectomies have cost £21m. | The government's chief medical officer has said unnecessary tonsillectomies and hysterectomies have cost £21m. |
The government have let down the NHS and failed to provide necessary incentives for improvement Andrew LansleyShadow health secretary | The government have let down the NHS and failed to provide necessary incentives for improvement Andrew LansleyShadow health secretary |
Health Minister Andy Burnham said the move was not about "penny pinching or cutting corners". | Health Minister Andy Burnham said the move was not about "penny pinching or cutting corners". |
"Productivity is about working smarter, not harder and improved efficiency will deliver both better patient care and better value to the taxpayer," he said. | "Productivity is about working smarter, not harder and improved efficiency will deliver both better patient care and better value to the taxpayer," he said. |
"Enabling trusts to compare themselves to other organisations in this way gives local staff the opportunity to identify where they should be focusing their efforts to improve services." | "Enabling trusts to compare themselves to other organisations in this way gives local staff the opportunity to identify where they should be focusing their efforts to improve services." |
The government revealed reducing avoidable emergency admissions for conditions like angina and asthma would save £348m. | The government revealed reducing avoidable emergency admissions for conditions like angina and asthma would save £348m. |
About £510m could be clawed back reducing the number of people admitted the day before a procedure - some trusts admit around 10% of patients the day before their operation whereas others admit 60%. | About £510m could be clawed back reducing the number of people admitted the day before a procedure - some trusts admit around 10% of patients the day before their operation whereas others admit 60%. |
Cheaper drugs | Cheaper drugs |
Improving the discharge process would save £975m, the government said. | Improving the discharge process would save £975m, the government said. |
Carrying out more procedures as day-only cases could save £16m, while reducing variation on the number of outpatient referrals would save £278m. | Carrying out more procedures as day-only cases could save £16m, while reducing variation on the number of outpatient referrals would save £278m. |
Cutting the number of unnecessary surgical procedures could save £73m, the government added. | Cutting the number of unnecessary surgical procedures could save £73m, the government added. |
Plymouth Teaching Primary Care Trust was among the examples used to illustrate how services could be improved. | Plymouth Teaching Primary Care Trust was among the examples used to illustrate how services could be improved. |
The government said the trust could potentially save £2.48m if it cut unnecessary emergency admissions for 19 conditions. | The government said the trust could potentially save £2.48m if it cut unnecessary emergency admissions for 19 conditions. |
Other money saving measures included prescribing cheaper cholesterol-lowering statins, reducing the number of agency staff used as well as cutting staff sickness and absence. | Other money saving measures included prescribing cheaper cholesterol-lowering statins, reducing the number of agency staff used as well as cutting staff sickness and absence. |
Nigel Edwards, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, which represents over 90% of NHS organisations, said the announcement was a "welcome step towards helping the NHS become more productive". | Nigel Edwards, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, which represents over 90% of NHS organisations, said the announcement was a "welcome step towards helping the NHS become more productive". |
But he added: "NHS managers believe that we need to go further than this and radically overhaul the approach to measuring productivity by putting patient satisfaction and outcomes at the centre of a new approach." | But he added: "NHS managers believe that we need to go further than this and radically overhaul the approach to measuring productivity by putting patient satisfaction and outcomes at the centre of a new approach." |
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "The government have let down the NHS and failed to provide necessary incentives for improvement. | Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "The government have let down the NHS and failed to provide necessary incentives for improvement. |
"It's time for a change and genuine reform." | "It's time for a change and genuine reform." |
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Steve Webb added: "The government is right to highlight the need to improve efficiency in the NHS, but much of the wasted money has been because of constant government interference. | |
¿Hundreds of millions have been wasted every time the government has reorganised the NHS - new bodies are created, only to be abolished a few years later. | |
¿The Department of Health needs to get its own house in order, and not just lecture frontline staff who are already working at full stretch.¿ |