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'Mandate for bold, decisive action' - The King's Fund responds to the Darzi review
Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, commented on the findings of Lord Darzi’s independent review of NHS performance
‘This review is an authoritative and sobering articulation of what patients have been telling us for some time – services are stretched to breaking point and people are losing faith that support will be there when they need it.
‘The review is more than just a gloomy assessment of how long it will take to recover services, it is a mandate for government to take bold, decisive action.
'The biggest improvements to health and care in this country will come from prioritising services outside of hospital. That means greater investment in the primary and community services that support people before they end up needing hospital treatment. It means political focus on public health strategies that keep people healthy and prevent illness in the first place. And it means finally getting to grips with the much-needed reform of adult social care.
‘Lord Darzi’s review also underscores the need to move beyond past lazy criticism regarding the value of NHS managers and instead recognise that implementing major improvement to the health service requires investment in high-quality leaders.
‘Ministers now face tough trade-offs between tackling immediate NHS pressures or prioritising reform of the root causes of the crisis. This review makes clear that incremental improvement will not do – radical change is needed.
‘The task is not simply to prop the NHS back up; it is to create a new approach to health and care in this country.'
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Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, and Siva Anandaciva, Chief Analyst at The King’s Fund, were members of the Expert Reference Group for Lord Darzi’s review. Both are available for interview and comment.
For further information, or to request an interview, please contact the Press and Public Affairs team on 020 7307 2585.
The King's Fund is an independent charity working to improve health and care in England. We help to shape policy and practice through research and analysis; develop individuals, teams and organisations; promote understanding of the health and social care system; and bring people together to learn, share knowledge and debate. Our vision is that the best possible health and care is available to all.
