The Government’s 10 Year Health Plan – MDU response
Ahead of tomorrow’s launch of the Government’s long-awaited 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS, the Medical Defence Union (MDU) has responded to the details announced so far.
Dr Matthew Lee, Chief Executive of the MDU, said:
On the 10 Year Health Plan overall
“This is a big moment for the NHS. Our members are working tirelessly in a system under pressure, to deliver the best care they can to their patients. The MDU wants an NHS that puts people – patients and the healthcare workforce – at its heart.
“The government is right to pivot towards preventative care and we welcome its commitment to primary care and the strengthening of local services. Ensuring we are investing in the training and education of primary care staff – so they can deliver the care patients deserve – must be a core part of this commitment, and the implementation of the 10 Year Health Plan.”
On regulatory reform
“While the ink dries on this long-awaited plan, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State have showed a real appetite for reform – not least in how the NHS is overseen, specifically with the multiple quangos and regulators involved.
“So much of the system is crying out for change. There is no greater example of this than the outdated way we regulate doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals in this country. Healthcare regulators like the General Medical Council (GMC) and the General Dental Council (GDC) need root and branch reform. The MDU hopes the government will harness its apparent zeal for regulatory reform and be the government that finally makes sure we have a fairer, more proportionate and timely system of regulation for those working on the frontline. They deserve nothing less.”
On medical graduates
“The MDU proudly supports thousands of UK medical students. These men and women are our members and they are the future of the NHS; the government must support them.
“Sadly, too many medical graduates currently have difficulty securing specialist training spaces, so we welcome the fact that the government has committed to expand opportunities for those graduating from UK medical schools in the coming years.”
On funding
“The MDU welcomed the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s commitment in the Spending Review of a £29 billion real-terms increase in annual NHS day-to-day spending. Our members want to be working in an NHS that is firing on all cylinders, where every penny possible is spent on supporting them to deliver the best possible patient care.
“However, that money is going to have to come from somewhere. As the government looks for savings to fund commitments being made in the 10 Year Health Plan, it must finally grasp the nettle of clinical negligence reform. Hundreds of millions of pounds are leaving the system every year because of an outdated, unfit-for-purpose legal system. Governments have dodged the question of reform for too long.”
