Long read
The NHS long-term plan explained
On 7 January, the NHS long-term plan was published setting out key ambitions for the service over the next 10 years. In this explainer, we set out the main commitments in the plan and provide our view of what they might mean, highlighting the opportunities and challenges for the health and care system as it moves to put the plan into practice.
Comments
Of more value is the development of progressively larger and more meaningful system working building upon smaller links and models, carefully tested out and clearly measured for the effects of their implementation. CCGs and providers [and let's not forget that anyone who cares for a patient is a provider, not just an acute Trust] need to be working in a mutually supportive way to get these models up and running.
And the only thing which really matters for seeing systems of care last the course is good old fashioned honesty, trust and support. We cannot put too high a price on time spent in developing good, effective, respectful working relationships across clinical and managerial groups, be they provider or commissioner, consultant or carer.
This, as ever, is the crux of leadership in healthcare. Before we can hope to see sensible systems of care, we need sensible leadership based on straightforward, plain speaking relationships. No corporate speak, no radical transformational innovative boat-rocking. Just the development of conversations, the realisation that patients matter more than anything, and an shared commitment to remember that every time we need to overcome sundry financial or contractual problems in day to day NHS life.
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