NHS ‘heading for disaster’ claims health boss

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Mike Farrer, the Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, which oversees all of England’s Hospital and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), yesterday warned that that the NHS is heading for disaster and must change course if it is to survive.

He said: ‘We know what needs to happen. But are we going to be able to take the assertive action needed in time? The deteriorating financial situation in the NHS means decisions can no longer be shirked.”

Mr Farrer added that he blamed politicians and NHS managers for "a failure of leadership" and warned they must abandon short-term solutions and win public backing for long-term radical changes.

Mr Farrer was formerly CEO of NHS North West; the Strategic Health Authority. Unusually, he commenced his NHS career working as a gardener at the Rochdale Infirmary from 1979 to 1982 and later as Health Promotions Officer in Rochdale. He also played as a semi-professional player for Rochdale Football Club. He is one of the most senior and widely respected figures in the NHS.

The Confederation carried out a survey of Chairs and CEOs of over 250 NHS trusts and organisations. Three quarters of them described the current financial situation as ‘very serious’ with a quarter who said it was "the worst they had ever seen".

Recently, John Appleby, Senior Economist of the Kings Fund writing in ‘The British Medical Journal’ said: “Demands for the NHS to find savings equivalent to but over and above the £20bn required by 2015, in the years to 2020, were 'undoable' and that the NHS was being set up for failure.”

He went on to argue for the closure of some specialist units and their transfers to ‘Centres of Excellence’ saying: “We need specialised centres for stroke care which we know have saved lives in London, we need more coaching for patients leaving hospital to enable them to cope at home, which reduces re-admissions and we need more patients with dementia, who occupy 20 per cent of hospital beds, managed in the community."

Recently what was described as a ‘joint statement of intent agreement’ was drawn up and signed by representatives from Rochdale Council, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT, Pennine Acute Hospital NHS Trust and Pennine Care Foundation Trust outlining the future of the Borough’s health services.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/69975/the-future-of-rochdale-infirmary-and-community-services