Giving the Health Secretary more power over the NHS risks taking health care backwards Health Foundation response to the publication of the Health and Care Bill
6 July 2021
Responding to the publication today of the Health and Care Bill, Dr Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive of the Health Foundation, said:
‘This is a Bill of two parts. Provisions to boost integrated care have widespread support and could help improve care for patients, although the potential benefits of these changes should not be oversold. The part of the Bill giving the Secretary of State more power over the NHS is politically driven, has no clear rationale and risks taking health care backwards.
‘To ease the Bill’s passing, the new Secretary of State for Health should now drop the contentious proposals to give his role more power over the day-to-day running of the NHS. He should add his own stamp to the Bill by adding simple but much needed provisions to improve workforce planning across the NHS and social care. This would help to ensure that staffing shortages in the NHS, which are slowing progress on the backlog, are addressed.
‘In the aftermath of the pandemic, the country faces a major backlog of unmet health care needs, chronic shortfalls in the NHS and social care workforce, glaring health inequalities, and a social care system on its knees. The Bill published today will do little to address these fundamental challenges without wider policy action and investment from government.’
Media contact
Simon Perry
Simon.Perry@health.org.uk
020 7257 2093
Further reading
News
The NHS Bill must put in place a system to support better workforce planning
Joint letter to the Rt Hon Matthew Hancock MP and Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP from the Health Foundation,...
You might also like...
Press release
Government must go further to level up the health recovery
Health Foundation response to the Queen’s Speech 2022.
Press release
Health and Care Act passes but leaves unfinished business for the NHS and social care
Health Foundation respond to Health and Care Act receiving Royal Assent
Newsletter blog
How might changing public attitudes influence government policy on health?
How will falling levels of public satisfaction with the NHS affect debate about NHS reform? Hugh...
Get social
Health Foundation @HealthFdn
RT @chrischirp: When it comes to understanding the relationships and vicious feedback loops between poverty, job insecurity, food insecurit…
Follow us on TwitterWork with us
We look for talented and passionate individuals as everyone at the Health Foundation has an important role to play.
View current vacanciesThe Q community
Q is an initiative connecting people with improvement expertise across the UK.
Find out more