Healthcare delivery
practice and learning from the national retention programme. The evidence is clear that improving staff engagement will help to improve patient outcomes and safety. NHS England will be setting out changes to be made locally and nationally to improve the working lives of staff, including junior doctors, by addressing some of the most widely felt frustrations that adversely impact their experience working in the NHS. The NHS Staff Survey 2023 showed important
improvements which organisations are asked to build on further, including embedding the NHS equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) improvement plan. They also showed that far too many colleagues, particularly women, have been the target of unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature at work. NHS England has seen a strong voluntary response to the first-ever NHS sexual safety charter. Every organisation is being asked to implement actions set out in the charter to improve safety at work.
Improving productivity The guidance states that a relentless focus on improvement, reducing delays and unnecessary processes, will be critical to delivering on the priorities of patients and balancing system finances. Key priorities include reducing temporary staffing spend and removing off- framework agency use; reducing the delay for patients who are still in hospital beyond their discharge ready date; and improving the adoption of and compliance with best value frameworks and contracts. The NHS must also implement more
productive and flexible working practices to make the most of the growth in workforce
across the NHS in recent years. NHS England will report on productivity and supporting metrics at a national, ICB and Trust level starting from the second half of 2024-25. Table 1 sets out the national objectives for 2024/25. These will be the basis for how NHS England assesses the performance of the NHS, alongside the local priorities agreed by ICSs.
Planning for the future Ultimately, the ambition is to improve health at every stage of life and the guidance calls for improvements in the co-ordination of services to reflect the growing prevalence of multi- morbidity. This includes steps to: l Expand evidenced-based approaches to population health, focusing on a healthy start to life, prevention, self-care and better management of long-term conditions.
l Join up care closer to home, including through integrated neighbourhood teams and place-based arrangements with local authorities and other system partners.
l Integrate and streamline Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) pathways, with a particular focus on the management of older people with complex needs and frailty
l Continue to drive improvements in productivity and operational effectiveness.
l Systems are asked to take account of the forthcoming government’s Major Conditions Strategy.
Modernising infrastructure The NHS needs modern and sustainable infrastructure to deliver high-quality and efficient care and the Net Zero commitment. Systems must work together to develop 2024/25 priorities and operational planning guidance infrastructure strategies. NHS England has published guidance and resources for developing these strategies, and will support systems to do so by the end of July 2024.
Harnessing data, digital and technology Strong digital foundations are essential for transformation, supporting access, quality and productivity. Systems should continue to support the levelling up of provider digital maturity across all sectors, with a focus on deploying and upgrading electronic patient record systems in line with the What Good Looks Like framework. NHS England will continue to develop the NHS App as the digital front door to the NHS and is rolling the out the Federated Data Platform (FDP). It is asking systems to keep connecting services to, and championing the use of, the NHS App, and to engage with the national FDP team to ensure planned investments are aligned with the FDP.
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