New measures aim to improve NHS performance
The Government will bring in a package of reforms to improve NHS performance.
Measures will include a new league table of NHS providers. Turnaround teams will also be sent to struggling hospitals, while the Government will give the best-performing services greater freedoms over funding to modernise technology and equipment.
Responding to the news, Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Heathwatch England, said:
"People value the hard work of NHS staff, but it's frustrating when services fail to operate effectively. So, a fresh approach to improving NHS performance is welcome.
"Currently, living in an area with either an outstanding or poorly performing NHS trust feels like a postcode lottery. When a service is underperforming, it often takes far too long for patients to see the necessary improvements.
"This is because the current system focuses on evaluating service performance based on the number of tasks it completes, and it does not do enough to measure patients' overall outcomes and experiences.
"Establishing a better system that encourages NHS managers to focus on delivering the best care as efficiently as possible, and leads to quicker changes at struggling trusts, would be good news for everyone."
