BMA chief claims NHS transformation plans could be cover for cuts

Health managers in 44 areas of England have been ordered to draw up strategies in an attempt to change services, improve care and reduce costs.

The Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) could result in the merging of some services, and see some hospitals, maternity or Accident & Emergency units closing.

NHS England say that the STPs are essential in the plan to bring about seven day services and to improve patient care.

Dr Mark Porter, head of the BMA union, warned that the plans were being “used as a cover for delivering cuts, starving services of resource and patients of vital care”.

He went on to say “Improving patient care must be the number one priority for these plans. Given the scale of the savings required in each area, there is a real risk that these transformation plans will be used as a cover for delivering cuts, starving services of resource and patients of vital care.

“It is extremely concerning that the majority of doctors have not been consulted on the plans, particularly as ministers have been so keen to insist that all stakeholders would be involved.

“STPs have the potential to generate more collaboration and the longer-term planning of services based on local need. But it is crucial that any plans about the future of the NHS must be drawn up in an open and transparent way, and have the support and involvement of clinicians, patients and the public from the outset.”

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS medical director, said “It cannot be right that on any one day in England, over 5,000 people are stuck in a hospital bed when they don’t need to be.

“Our NHS has constantly adapted to improve services for patients, taking advantage of new opportunities and making common-sense changes in areas that really matter to patients – making it easier to see a GP, providing more specialist services in people’s homes, speeding up cancer diagnosis and offering help faster to people with mental illness.

“By continuing to adapted to a changing world, the NHS will be able to secure a better service for future generations.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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