The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Jeremy Hunt)
Today I am announcing the publication of Examining new options and opportunities for providers of NHS care —The Dalton Review. In February 2014, I commissioned Sir David Dalton, Chief Executive of Salford Royal Foundation Trust, to lead this independent review into how we enable the best leaders and organisations in the NHS to expand their reach and do more for patients.
Sir David, the expert panel and the review team sought evidence and engaged widely across the NHS, with patients and system leaders, international health systems and other sectors to inform the work of the Review. This open and consultative approach is reflected in the publication alongside the report of the evidence packs, case studies and engagement findings which informed the analysis and recommendations aimed at continuing to secure the clinical and financial sustainability of providers of NHS care through offering new options for organisational forms.
The Report notes that while the NHS has a number of world-leading providers and has achieved remarkable successes over the past 10 years, not all NHS providers have improved at the same rate, resulting in variation in quality of care across the country. This variation in standards of care across the country, alongside the wider challenges faced by all providers of NHS services, must be addressed.
Sir David’s Report examines a range of organisational forms that are relevant to all providers of NHS care, providing options for them to drive the spread of improvement methodologies, quality systems and operating models they have developed to other organisations. The Report also provides options for providers who may not currently be delivering services at the standards they and we all expect. The recently published NHS Five Year Forward View, accepted by all parties, provided new and innovative models of care to meet the demands and challenges of the future; the recommendations and organisational forms of the Dalton Review complement the NHS Five Year Forward View, providing a range of organisational forms to help deliver these new models of care.
Sir David has highlighted five key themes in his Report, which are that: one size does not fit all; quicker transformational and transactional change is required; ambitious organisations with a proven track record should be encouraged to expand their reach and have an impact across the sector; overall sustainability for the provider sector is a priority; and, change must happen through supported implementation. The Report suggests that addressing these five key themes will accelerate the transformational change that is required to help overcome the challenges facing the NHS. To do this, the Report makes recommendations to the national bodies and leaders across the NHS, the wider system and to the Government.
Sir David highlighted the importance of funding and support for implementation of new care models and organisational forms. That is why I am delighted that the Government have announced £200 million funding to support these new models and transform challenged health economies as part of the Governments two billion pounds additional investment in the NHS in 2015-16.
The Government welcomes the Review and its recommendations, encourages all those working in or with the NHS to consider the options and recommendations of the Review and will take a close interest in their adoption and implementation over the coming months.
I would like to thank Sir David Dalton, the expert panel members and the Dalton Review team for their hard work and commitment.
Examining new options and opportunities for providers of NHS care - The Dalton Review has been placed in the Library of the House. Copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote Office and to noble Lords from the Printed Paper Office.
Attachments:
1. The Dalton Review (Dalton-Review.pdf)
Attachments can be viewed online at http://www.parliament. uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2014-12-05/HCWS63/