The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Andrew Lansley)
Today I am publishing the first of five supporting documents to the NHS White Paper, “Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS”, which was published on 12 July. “Transparency in outcomes: a framework for the NHS”, has been placed in the Library and copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote Office. The document is also available electronically at: www.dh.gov.uk/liberatingtheNHS.
The publication of this document marks the start of a full public consultation on the development of an NHS outcomes framework and fulfils a key commitment made in the White Paper to develop this in partnership with patients, the public and all those working or with an interest in the NHS.
The White Paper set out the coalition Government’s ambition for the NHS to provide among the best outcomes in the world, delivered by empowered and engaged healthcare professionals liberated from central control and political interference.
“Transparency in outcomes: a framework for the NHS” puts forward proposals for a framework that is designed to refocus the efforts and accountabilities running throughout the NHS on improving the health outcomes achieved for patients.
The NHS outcomes framework will include a focused set of national outcomes goals and supporting measures which patients, the public and Parliament will be able to use to judge the overall performance of the NHS. The framework will also provide a mechanism by which the Secretary of State for Health can hold the proposed NHS Commissioning Board to account for the outcomes it is securing for patients through its role in allocating resources and overseeing the commissioning process that, in future, will be led locally by general practitioner consortia.
The consultation document puts forward proposals for a framework structured around five broad outcome domains and seeks views on this structure, the core principles that should underpin the development of the framework as well as the more specific outcome measures that should be included under each domain. The proposed outcome domains are:
Domain 1: Preventing people from dying prematurely.
Domain 2: Enhancing the quality of life for people with long-term conditions.
Domain 3: Helping people to recover from episodes of ill health or following injury.
Domain 4: Ensuring people have a positive experience of care.
Domain 5: Treating and caring for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm.
The consultation period will close on 11 October 2010.