Lansley: The NHS is our priority
Health secretary Andrew Lansley comments on the future of the NHS:
“People voted for change and the coalition agreement set out a bold and exciting vision for the future of the NHS – a vision based on the principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility.
“The NHS is our priority.
“That is why the coalition government has committed to increases in NHS resources in real terms each year of this parliament.
“The sick must not pay for the debt crisis left by the previous administration.
“But the NHS is a priority for reform too.
“Investment has not been matched by reform.
“So we will reform the NHS to use those resources far more effectively for the benefit of patients.
“The government’s ambition is for health outcomes – and quality services – that are among the best in the world.
“We have in our sights a unique combination of equity and excellence.
“With patients empowered to share in decisions about their care, with professionals free to tailor services around their patients and with a relentless focus on continuously improving results, I am confident that together we can deliver the efficiency and the improvement in quality that is required to make the NHS a truly world class service.”
