26.06.12
No more second chances
The news that Andrew Lansley is making moves to place an NHS trust into special measures, with the possibility of services being broken up and the trust being declared bankrupt, will present a very real threat to other trusts that are losing money and performing below par.
Although there have always been trusts that face significant financial difficulties, historically these have been bailed out by other parts of the NHS. But now there is greater pressure to make efficiency savings and such get-out clauses are no longer sustainable.
Will this less tolerant attitude serve to let other trusts know the consequences of failure and thus try harder to solve their financial problems?
Or could it simply end up adversely affecting patient care?
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