News

30.09.15

Providers tell NHS Improvement to abandon ‘just do it’ approach

The incoming CEO of NHS Improvement, the agency name for the recently announced Monitor-NHS TDA merger, must give up on the top-down ‘just do it’ approach to managing performance, according to a group of health leaders. 

In a collection of opinion pieces published by the Nuffield Trust and NHS Providers, senior health officials have called on the new organisation to create a sense of “inspiration” and “shared understanding” of how to tackle the many challenges facing the NHS. 

The ‘What do leaders want from NHS Improvement?’ document has been published the same day that board papers are being presented to Monitor on the programme structure of the merger, set to be in operation from April 2016. 

As NHE reported earlier this week, at the top of NHS Improvement’s power structure will sit a Monitor/TDA board and ministers from the Department of Health, to whom NHS Improvement’s chair, Ed Smith, will report. 

In one of the articles published today (30 September), Jeremy Taylor, chief executive of National Voices, advised the new leadership of NHS Improvement to insist on a “really clear and simple mandate”. 

“Don’t be an empire builder,” he said. “The more you have to do, the more likely it will either duplicate or get in the way of what others are doing.” 

Former health secretary Stephen Dorrell added that the new organisation will need to quickly show that its primary focus is “genuine service improvement” and that both service users and staff interests are no longer the victims of “political fudge”. 

The Monitor papers state: “The principal focus for NHS Improvement will be to drive and support both urgent operational improvement at the frontline and the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system, working collaboratively with partners to achieve this. 

“Alongside that, NHS Improvement will be the healthcare sector regulator.” 

Chris Hopson, CEO at NHS Providers, added that to truly “improve” the NHS, the new NHS Improvement boss must understand that providers and commissioners will want to be inspired, and be part of a community of leadership that crosses organisational boundaries and has shared aims, values, and behaviours. 

And Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, said the new organisation will need to remain focused on the professionals who can deliver change, rather than trying to reassure central leaders in the Whitehall machine. 

The contributors to the ‘What do leaders want from NHS Improvement?’ document are: 

  • Prof Jane Dacre, President, Royal College of Physicians
  • Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell, former Secretary of State for Health
  • Lord Hunt of King’s Heath OBE, shadow health spokesperson
  • Dr Steve Kell  and Amanda Doyle, co-chairs, NHS Clinical Commissioning
  • Sarah Jane Marsh, chief executive, Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Trust
  • Claire Murdoch, chief executive, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
  • Angela Pedder, chief executive, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
  • Jeremy Taylor, chief executive, National Voices
  • Tracy Taylor, chief executive, Birmingham Community Health care NHS Trust 

Comments

There are no comments. Why not be the first?

Add your comment

national health executive tv

more videos >

latest news

View all News

comment

NHS England dementia director prescribes rugby for mental health and dementia patients

23/09/2019NHS England dementia director prescribes rugby for mental health and dementia patients

Reason to celebrate as NHS says watching rugby can be good for your mental ... more >
Peter Kyle MP: It’s time to say thank you this Public Service Day

21/06/2019Peter Kyle MP: It’s time to say thank you this Public Service Day

Taking time to say thank you is one of the hidden pillars of a society. Bei... more >

editor's comment

26/06/2020Adapting and Innovating

Matt Roberts, National Health Executive Editorial Lead. NHE May/June 2020 Edition We’ve been through so much as a health sector and a society in recent months with coronavirus and nothing can take away from the loss and difficulties that we’ve faced but it vital we also don’t disregard the amazing efforts we’ve witnessed. Staff have gone above and beyond, whole hospitals and trusts have flexed virtually at will to meet demand and pressures and we’ve... read more >

last word

Haseeb Ahmad: ‘We all have a role to play in getting innovations quicker’

Haseeb Ahmad: ‘We all have a role to play in getting innovations quicker’

Haseeb Ahmad, president of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), sits down with National Health Executive as part of our Last Word Q&A series. Would you talk us throu more > more last word articles >

interviews

Matt Hancock says GP recruitment is on the rise to support ‘bedrock of the NHS’

24/10/2019Matt Hancock says GP recruitment is on the rise to support ‘bedrock of the NHS’

Today, speaking at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) annual... more >

the scalpel's daily blog

Covid-19 can signal a new deal with the public on health

28/08/2020Covid-19 can signal a new deal with the public on health

Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive, NHS Employers & Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Confederation The common enemy of coronavirus united the public side by side wi... more >
read more blog posts from 'the scalpel' >

healthcare events

events calendar

back

September 2020

forward
mon tue wed thu fri sat sun
31 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11

featured articles

View all News