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NHS London shakeup was derailed by Lansley, former boss says NHS London shakeup was derailed by Lansley, former boss says
(5 months later)
The former chief executive of the NHS in London claims the coalition's first health secretary, Andrew Lansley, put patients at risk by scrapping a wave of hospital reorganisations in 2010.The former chief executive of the NHS in London claims the coalition's first health secretary, Andrew Lansley, put patients at risk by scrapping a wave of hospital reorganisations in 2010.
In one of his first acts in charge of the Department of Health, Lansley halted the review of healthcare in the capital, which proposed closing down A&E departments and shutting maternity units as part of a plan to shift care out of hospitals.In one of his first acts in charge of the Department of Health, Lansley halted the review of healthcare in the capital, which proposed closing down A&E departments and shutting maternity units as part of a plan to shift care out of hospitals.
However, Dame Ruth Carnall, who was in charge of the capital's strategic health authority until its abolition at the end of last month, writes in a foreword to a review of healthcare in the city published on Wednesday by Imperial College London that Lansley's decision was a "bitter blow". Although key planks of the plans were eventually continued, progress had been "slowed".However, Dame Ruth Carnall, who was in charge of the capital's strategic health authority until its abolition at the end of last month, writes in a foreword to a review of healthcare in the city published on Wednesday by Imperial College London that Lansley's decision was a "bitter blow". Although key planks of the plans were eventually continued, progress had been "slowed".
Carnall argues that the pause in the proposed shakeup did have consequences for patients: "The fact is that some people continue to have their cancer diagnosed in A&E because of inadequate primary care and diagnostics; people are still admitted as complex emergencies to hospitals with insufficient consultant cover; acutely ill patients admitted at nights and weekends are still more likely to die in hospitals without 24/7 consultant cover; some maternity units cannot offer the level of care needed for obstetric emergencies."Carnall argues that the pause in the proposed shakeup did have consequences for patients: "The fact is that some people continue to have their cancer diagnosed in A&E because of inadequate primary care and diagnostics; people are still admitted as complex emergencies to hospitals with insufficient consultant cover; acutely ill patients admitted at nights and weekends are still more likely to die in hospitals without 24/7 consultant cover; some maternity units cannot offer the level of care needed for obstetric emergencies."
"I could cite many more examples and I do not pretend that we could have solved all these problems but measurable progress was being made on all these fronts – progress that was slowed for a time.""I could cite many more examples and I do not pretend that we could have solved all these problems but measurable progress was being made on all these fronts – progress that was slowed for a time."
NHS London was at the forefront of producing a radical plan aimed at heading off a £5bn deficit in the capital's health budget. The proposals angered many GPs by suggesting a rapid expansion in polyclinics, "super surgeries" proposed by the former Labour health minister and eminent physician Lord Darzi, which would draw patients away from small family doctors.NHS London was at the forefront of producing a radical plan aimed at heading off a £5bn deficit in the capital's health budget. The proposals angered many GPs by suggesting a rapid expansion in polyclinics, "super surgeries" proposed by the former Labour health minister and eminent physician Lord Darzi, which would draw patients away from small family doctors.
Hospitals were annoyed by claims that the capital had a higher number of hospital beds than the national average, which NHS London said left "the current configuration of hospital services not making best use of taxpayers' money".Hospitals were annoyed by claims that the capital had a higher number of hospital beds than the national average, which NHS London said left "the current configuration of hospital services not making best use of taxpayers' money".
Lansley's intervention, which drew praise from campaigners, led to the departure of NHS London chair Sir Richard Sykes, who had been chairman and chief executive of the drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline, and four other non-executive directors. The health secretary had argued that London's reform blueprint suffered as it had not brought on board GPs, patients and local authorities.Lansley's intervention, which drew praise from campaigners, led to the departure of NHS London chair Sir Richard Sykes, who had been chairman and chief executive of the drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline, and four other non-executive directors. The health secretary had argued that London's reform blueprint suffered as it had not brought on board GPs, patients and local authorities.
Jamie Reed MP, Labour's shadow health minister, said: "Such respected figures do not make these claims lightly. Ministers refused to listen to doctors and abandoned life-saving reform to NHS services. The government should be ashamed that it damaged patient care in London for its own political ends."Jamie Reed MP, Labour's shadow health minister, said: "Such respected figures do not make these claims lightly. Ministers refused to listen to doctors and abandoned life-saving reform to NHS services. The government should be ashamed that it damaged patient care in London for its own political ends."
A DoH spokesperson said: "We have been clear all along that changes to the NHS need to involve local people and be supported by clinical evidence. Because of the changes we have made, doctors and nurses now have the freedom and power to provide the local health services their patients really need – making the decisions which were previously taken by managers."A DoH spokesperson said: "We have been clear all along that changes to the NHS need to involve local people and be supported by clinical evidence. Because of the changes we have made, doctors and nurses now have the freedom and power to provide the local health services their patients really need – making the decisions which were previously taken by managers."
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