Healthcare delivery NHS England will work with systems to
develop robust plans for the technology investment announced in the 2024 Spring Budget to support delivery of the NHS productivity plan for the years from 2025/6. Commenting on the 2024/25 priorities and
operational planning guidance, Sally Warren, Director of Policy at The King’s Fund, said: “The publication of the plan for the NHS will be welcomed by those working in the sector and will help bring some clarity on what their priorities should be for the year ahead. Being published only days before the financial year starts, due to delays in the government settling the budget, means there will be a sigh of relief that the priorities are aligned with what the system was already planning. This includes an expectation of continued steady improvement, including in A&E, ambulance and cancer targets. “The plan is built upon an assumption that
there will be no industrial action throughout the year despite the fact negotiations are still ongoing. This means it’s quite possible the government will need to step in to find additional funding if industrial action continues or new pay deals are agreed, assuming it wants the NHS to deliver on the expectations and targets that have been set out.” Deputy chief executive of NHS Providers,
Saffron Cordery, said: “Trust leaders are bracing themselves for another incredibly tough year. With new figures showing public satisfaction with the NHS at an all-time low, this planning guidance serves as a stark reminder of a health service grappling with long waits for care, severely constrained finances, and ongoing workforce shortages. “Despite additional investment in the NHS, it is deeply worrying that many hospital, ambulance, community and mental health services are expecting to start the next financial year in a precarious condition. The productivity ask of Trusts is understandably demanding given this strain on public finances, but leaders across the provider sector are up for this challenge and are already doing everything they can to boost productivity. “But they need more support to deliver
everything being asked of them. They know that capital investment in NHS infrastructure and additional investment in social care capacity, for example, would turbo-boost their productivity efforts.
“The performance targets they’ve been
set are equally stretching. While significant progress has been made in tackling the longest waits for care, Trust leaders know much more needs to be done to drive down waiting times and improve care across urgent and emergency care and across community and mental health services. None of this can be achieved without highly valued NHS staff, though. “Trust leaders know they cannot simply ask their overstretched workforce, who are already working flat out, to do more. They understandably want clarity on funding for the Long-Term Workforce Plan beyond what has been allocated, and an acknowledgement that, while stringent targets to reduce agency spending are needed, this will be difficult to achieve given high vacancy rates, worrying levels of staff burnout and sickness, and the potential for more strike action. “They will also want reassurances that the benefits of working with partners across health and social care system remain a priority within the NHS. Given the drive to boost productivity and deliver better care for patients, it is vital that Trust leaders are able to pull every lever at their disposal to deliver on the tough targets they’ve been set.” Ultimately, Amanda Pritchard said that the priorities and ambitions set out in the guidance should be seen “as the floor, rather than the
A relentless focus on improvement, reducing delays and unnecessary processes, will be critical to delivering on the priorities of patients and balancing system finances.
22
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I May 2024
ceiling”. She acknowledged that the NHS is facing major challenges in recovering services and meeting the growing needs of an ageing population, but added that the NHS has “once again shown that it can rise to the challenge”, this year, and real improvement is possible “even in the toughest of circumstances”.
CSJ
References 1.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/equality/ equality-hub/national-healthcare-inequalities- improvement-programme/core20plus5/
SCAN ME
To view the full guidance, visit:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/ wp-content/uploads/2024/03/
PRN00715-2024-to-2025-priorities- and-operational-planning- guidance-27.03.2024.pdf
Alternatively, please scan the QR code.
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