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Monitor welcomes this encouraging progress report on the implementation of Lord Darzi’s quality agenda one year on.

It is particularly positive that Lord Darzi continues to champion clinical leadership as the way forward and is considering how best to embed the principles of Service Line Management (SLM) across the NHS.

SLM is an approach Monitor has introduced to the NHS, and which has been widely adopted with positive results for patients. It provides clinical leaders with increased responsibility, not just for budgets but for overall service development and improvement.  It also provides the ability to shape services around the needs of patients by understanding results, including outcomes and experience, by service line.
Clinical leadership will be crucial in responding to the challenge facing the NHS; to drive quality up while driving costs down. SLM provides clinicians with the autonomy to drive real improvements in quality, performance and efficiency, based on their first hand knowledge and understanding of the services they provide.

However, it is clear that clinicians will require additional support and training in order to step into the new and demanding role of service line leader effectively.

Monitor is proposing the development of a national clinical leadership academy and would like to work with the Department of Health and other partners in establishing this.  The academy would recognise the unique potential of senior clinicians in managerial posts and provide clinical leaders with the skills to lead service lines effectively.

Welcoming, the report, Adrian Masters, Monitor’s Director of Strategy, said:

“We’re very encouraged by Lord Darzi’s recognition of the value of Service Line Management for the whole NHS.

“Monitor is keen to work with partners to get a training and development programme underway to equip senior clinicians in managerial posts with the skills they need to really deliver service line management’s benefits for patients and taxpayers. But progress on this training needs to happen soon - in the next twelve months - if it is to help the NHS respond to the challenges ahead.”
 

Notes:

1. For media enquiries please contact Anna Jefferson on 020 7340 2442
2. More information on Service Line Management
3. Monitor authorises and regulates NHS foundation trusts ensuring they are well-managed and financially viable in order to deliver high quality healthcare for patients.
4. Monitor was established in January 2004. It is independent of government and accountable to Parliament. Monitor’s functions and powers are set out in the National Health Service Act 2006.