Tribal publishes response to the Health White Paper
13 July 2010 / for immediate release
Tribal, the leading UK public services organisation, broadly welcomes the vision and ambitions of the health white paper announced by Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley, At a time where root and branch change is needed in the NHS, Tribal has today published a response on the implications of the proposals with the following key observations:
- GP commissioning: The success or failure of this initiative depends on whether GP support for the proposals can be secured. The first test is whether GPs will be willing to form consortia without excessive financial incentives, given the significant responsibilities associated with managing tax-payers' money.
- Patient power: At the core of the white paper is the patient and the patient's right to choice, as powered by complete transparency of clinical information. For the first time, patients will be able to choose not only which hospital to go to but which consultant they want to see, based on consultants' clinical outcome information. The white paper's core principle is, therefore, that it is the service user in partnership with their clinician, not micro-management by the Secretary of State that will improve standards.
- Denationalisation: this white paper could result in the biggest transfer of employment out of the public sector since the significant reforms seen in 1980s. As NHS trusts become foundation trusts, this will see the transfer of billions of tax-payers’ assets to employee-controlled businesses.
Kingsley Manning, business development director for health at Tribal, says:
"This white paper could amount to the denationalisation of healthcare services in England and is the most important redirection of the NHS in more than a generation, going further than any Secretary of State has gone before.
"A cornerstone of the white paper's argument for such radical change is the NHS’s comparatively poor outcomes.
"The old certainties are gone: the NHS cannot be protected from economic reality any longer."
Tribal believes that the white paper's overall vision is compelling and logical but the practicalities of this vision still need finalising to ensure that local health systems do not suffer during the transition period.
Tribal's work within the NHS revolves around implementing government initiatives such as healthcare planning and management to ensure that the NHS provides the best possible care to its patients.
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Notes to Editors
Download Tribal's response and analysis of the Coalition Government’s proposals for health:'Liberating the NHS' - The next turn in the cork screw?
About Tribal
Tribal is a leading public sector services company.
We provide service delivery, advisory and technology solutions focused on improving the quality and effectiveness of public services in the UK and internationally. Tribal’s core markets are education, health and government.
Our people are sector experts and we work in partnership with a wide range of organisations including schools, colleges, hospitals, local authorities, housing associations and government departments.
Tribal has approximately 2,000 staff and our work spans 40 countries across the world. Our charity, the Tribal Foundation, supports sustainable projects in the UK and developing world and is principally funded by staff donations which are matched by Tribal. Our website is www.tribalgroup.com.
For further information please contact Gemma Wilkie, PR & Media Relations Manager at Tribal on 020 7323 7216 / gemma.wilkie@tribalgroup.com or Epoch PR on 020 7401 8001 / tribal@epochpr.com. Out of hours press line is 07776 495 864.