NHS 'in decline'

Monday, 11 February 2008 12:01 AM

The government must implement immediate reforms to prevent the NHS continuing in decline, a thinktank has warned.

A report published by Reform today says the NHS is delivering substandard levels of care compared to peer countries in ways which are not good value for money.

It blames the "lopsided" internal market for the problem, claiming it favours producers rather than patients, and warns patient choice is deteriorating rather than improving as the government claims.

Rather than spending around £115 billion a year on a poor-quality NHS, Reform believes changes could substantially improve healthcare at an expenditure of just £95 billion.

It calls for the introduction of an "economic constitution" guaranteeing value for money, patient choice and a diversity of providers.

The government is currently undergoing its landmark review of the NHS and today's report expresses the hope it will embrace commitments towards the changes it favours.

Reform director Andrew Haldenby doubted prime minister Gordon Brown's commitment that reform is all but in place, claiming it has "barely left the starting gate".

"Given the position of the public finances, it is the only possible route to new investment and improvement," he said.

Responding to the report, Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Norman Lamb said the report should "act as a wake-up call" for the government.

"The big debate now is about how the money is spent rather than how much there is.

"We will only get real value for money in the NHS with genuine reform which empowers patients and makes our health services accountable."

The Department for Health was unavailable for comment prior to the report's publication.

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