23.06.14
Monitor encourages NHS to be innovative to deliver change
Monitor will aim to give healthcare providers and NHS foundation trusts greater freedom to take “appropriate risks” in order to deliver better care for patients through innovative services.
Within its annual plan for 2014-15, the regulator stated it will continue to help NHS foundation trusts develop their capabilities and strengthen their governance, in order to reduce the risk that providers fail in the future.
In particular, it will focus on the capabilities that drive long-term performance, namely: strategic and business planning; organisational development; operational performance improvement and individual leadership.
Dr David Bennett, chief executive of Monitor, said: “We’re planning for a lot of changes this year at Monitor; not just in our own work but in the way we support NHS foundation trusts to develop better care for patients.
“We recognise that in order to promote innovation we have to let healthcare providers take measured risks, and will be working to take a balanced approach when there are ideas for change. The need for change in the NHS is well known, but it shouldn’t be seen as a threat; it is an opportunity for radical and lasting improvement.”
In addition to this work, Monitor will continue to assess NHS trusts applying for foundation trust status, but before this can be awarded they must meet “quality performance thresholds and can continue to do so on a sustainable basis”.
To assess quality performance, Monitor will continue to work closely with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and will set out how it will align its regulatory approach with CQC’s emerging inspection regime.
Dr Bennett added: “This year we will work with partners to build on existing research and explore new ideas for how healthcare could deliver quality services for patients. We’ll use that research to support providers and commissioners to improve and adapt to patients’ changing needs.”
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