18 week legislation a major departure for health service
Wednesday, 18 November, 2009
Commenting on the Queen's Speech and the Government's plans to enshrine maximum waiting times through secondary legislation, Steve Barnett, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents over 95 per cent of NHS organisations, said:
"It is a major departure for a government in this country to guarantee what patients can expect through legislation and this has more in common with how systems have developed elsewhere in Europe.
"NHS organisations have put a tremendous amount of effort into dramatically reducing waiting times and almost all patients are now seen within 18 weeks. Enshrining a maximum waiting time as a legal right will provide additional reassurance for patients.
"We can not lose sight of the fact that the legislation will only cover a limited range of treatments. It will not help people with mental health problems gain faster access to psychological therapies or children who need timely access to speech and language therapy. The NHS Constitution, on which this law will be based, aims to keep people mentally and physically well.
"As with all new policies, it is vital to be wary of any unintended consequences - particularly around how meeting the target might affect other local health priorities for Primary Care Trusts - once it is put in place."
On the plans for a National Care Service, Mr Barnett added:
"One of the major challenges facing the health service is supporting people as our population gets older and how we can make sure adequate resources are in place. The system will only work if people understand what they are entitled to and the options for paying for it. There also needs to be clarity on the relative roles of both the NHS and local government and the long term funding for these proposals."
