Conservative Party: Government presses ahead with NHS improvement plans

The Government has announced details of planned increases to NHS funding whilst setting out the next steps in its plan to reform the NHS by cutting out waste, reducing bureaucracy and simplifying NHS structures.

'Liberating the NHS: Legislative Framework and Next Steps' reaffirms the Conservative Manifesto commitment to protect NHS spending. An additional £10.6 billion will go direct to Primary Care Trusts for frontline services over the Spending Review Period, the equivalent of a three per cent increase in funding for the NHS.

The reforms will create an NHS that puts patients at the heart of everything it does, focuses relentlessly on improving healthcare outcomes and liberates professionals at every level to take decisions in the best interests of patients.

Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health, said:

"We believe that the NHS is a great national institution and support its founding principles - that care is free at the point of use to everyone, based on need, not ability to pay.

"But in order to meet rising demands and deliver improving outcomes for patients, we need to get the best value from our protected health budget and make every penny count for patients.  That means cutting out waste, reducing bureaucracy and simplifying NHS structures so that we are able to invest more in improving frontline care.

"There will be no let up in our drive to improve patient safety, outcomes and patient experience.  The Operating Framework is an important roadmap to help the leaders of the NHS realise our ambitious aims to improve patient care."

The announcement follows extensive consultation over its White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS' and comes ahead of an NHS Bill which is to be presented in the New Year.