Rebuttal issued in response to the Mirror coverage: ‘NHS cuts: Leaked document reveals £370million of cuts across four NHS trusts’
Dr David Finch, local GP and a Clinical Lead for Better Services Better Value, said:
· “We are all very surprised that this information about the financial challenges facing local hospitals is being described as a ‘leak’. We have been talking to local people and clinicians about this for nearly a year. This Better Services Better Value programme was launched last May by local doctors, nurses and other health professionals. It has also been covered in a series of press releases, press conferences and on our website since May 2011 and has had significant media coverage.
· We need to do more with less money. The four hospitals in south west London face a substantial financial challenge. National efficiency targets require a 4% cost reduction each year. While they may see small increases in income, they will also have to deal with increased patient demand, while delivering approximately £370m of cost improvement programmes. The financial challenge amounts to a reduction in acute hospital funding of 24% by 2016/17. This review is not about cutting services, but redesigning them. No-one is going to be denied treatment. This review is about making sure people are treated by the right clinician, at the right time in the right place. South west London doctors and nurses are looking at how they might make the £2.3 billion we spend on health in SW London work better for patients.
· No recommendations have yet been made about future shape of services. Some NHS roles may change as we look to move more care out of hospitals and into community settings, in line with long standing national policy. Local NHS trusts are working together to consider how we can best retain and develop the existing staff to meet patient needs better in the future.
· The local NHS must change because it is no longer giving patients the healthcare that is right for them:
o The population is changing, for example, people are increasingly living past the age of 85 but they are usually much sicker as they have long term illnesses like diabetes or breathing problems. These patients use health services the most accounting for over half of GP visits, and 1 in 3 hospital beds often admitted via A&E. Our current NHS is not designed in the right way to treat people with long term illnesses in their homes and in the community to keep them well and out of hospital.
· The review is being led by six groups of local clinicians who are currently finalising their recommendations. There has been extensive public engagement, with the clinicians leading the review attending over 100 meetings with the public, clinicians and stakeholders. These meetings have helped to shape clinical thinking.
· Hospital trusts in south west London, in common with all other trusts, have local cost improvement plans in place to meet national efficiency targets, which will have been shared with trade unions.”
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- Notes to editors -
1. Clinicians from across health organisations in south west London are working together on the Better Services Better Value review. The organisations involved are:
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
- Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Kingston Hospital NHS Trust
- St George's Healthcare NHS Trust
- Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
- Your Healthcare
- South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust
- South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust
- The seven emerging clinical commissioning groups across south west London
- NHS South West London, including Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Sutton, Richmond and Wandsworth
2. Doctors, from hospitals and general practices, alongside patient representatives, are leading six clinical working groups to look at the patient journey and models of care in:
- Planned care
- End of life care
- Urgent, unscheduled and emergency care
- Maternity and newborn care
- Children’s services
- Long term conditions
3. To date over 100 meetings have been held to discuss Better Services Better Value with different partners, patients and community groups. For more information or to get involved in the Better Services Better Value review:
- Twitter: @NHSSWLondon #BSBV
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/BetterServicesBetterValue
- Email: betterservices@swlondon.nhs.uk
- Phone: 020 3458 5747
- Website: www.southwestlondon.nhs.uk
If you have any further questions please contact the Press Office on 020 3458 5717 or email media@swlondon.nhs.uk Please direct your readers to the NHS South West London website for more information: www.southwestlondon.nhs.uk