NHS and public health reforms: the outlook for London

Our Health and Environment Committee has published an issues paper on NHS and public health reforms.

On 12 September 2012, the Committee met with Dame Ruth Carnall, Chief Executive, NHS London and Dr. Simon Tanner, Regional Director of Public Health, NHS London and Health Advisor to the Greater London Authority and other key experts and personnel, to track progress on implementing the health reforms and to discuss potential risks and challenges both now and after the new system is in place.

The paper sets out four key challenges that must be addressed to ensure continuing quality of care as the capital’s health service is reformed. It says the transition to new structures should not be allowed to compromise quality of healthcare across the capital.

The paper goes on to say mechanisms must be in place beyond April 2013 to ensure a London-wide view on improving healthcare and public health outcomes can be maintained.

The four key challenges are:

• To complete the transition, deliver efficiency savings and develop a fitting legacy within the remaining timeframe.
• The urgent need to substantially improve the productivity of acute hospital trusts and, where it is not possible to do so by April 2013, to put an appropriate strategy in place.
• On public health specifically, the challenge to manage the transfer of responsibility, secure sufficient funding for London and ensure equity in individual borough funding allocations.
• The lack of clarity on how a strategic overview on NHS services and public health will be maintained within the new structures.

The Committee intends to discuss these points at a future meeting of the Committee on Tuesday 5 February 2013 and is circulating this paper to invite comments on them in advance of the meeting.