By David Williams
13 November 2009
The NHS is succeeding in doing more for less but is making little progress in moving treatment out of hospitals and closer to patients’ homes, the Audit Commission has said.
Its report, More for less, published on November 12, found that overall trusts spent less per treatment in 2007/08 than they did in 2006/07. Total spending rose by 6.5% to £74.76bn in this period but an increase in treatments carried out meant unit costs fell by 4.7% in real terms.
However, trusts were criticised for failing to transfer care to the community, which the commission says could bring more savings. The amount of outpatients grew by 8% in 2008/09, while the number of inpatients increased by 4%.
The report said: ‘The headline national numbers suggest primary care trusts made little or no inroads in 2008/09 in transferring care from hospitals into the community or in dampening demand, either in terms of investment or activity.
‘Demand management is unlikely to make a significant contribution to any savings requirement in the short term.’
Andy McKeon, the Audit Commission’s managing director of health, said: ‘Productivity and quality are the twin foundations on which the NHS will face and weather pressures on public spending in the next few years.
‘Hospitals are starting to become more efficient. But to reduce pressures and ease finances, the drive from PCTs towards providing equally good, if not better, care in the community needs to increase significantly.'
13 November 2009
The NHS is succeeding in doing more for less but is making little progress in moving treatment out of hospitals and closer to patients’ homes, the Audit Commission has said.
Its report, More for less, published on November 12, found that overall trusts spent less per treatment in 2007/08 than they did in 2006/07. Total spending rose by 6.5% to £74.76bn in this period but an increase in treatments carried out meant unit costs fell by 4.7% in real terms.
However, trusts were criticised for failing to transfer care to the community, which the commission says could bring more savings. The amount of outpatients grew by 8% in 2008/09, while the number of inpatients increased by 4%.
The report said: ‘The headline national numbers suggest primary care trusts made little or no inroads in 2008/09 in transferring care from hospitals into the community or in dampening demand, either in terms of investment or activity.
‘Demand management is unlikely to make a significant contribution to any savings requirement in the short term.’
Andy McKeon, the Audit Commission’s managing director of health, said: ‘Productivity and quality are the twin foundations on which the NHS will face and weather pressures on public spending in the next few years.
‘Hospitals are starting to become more efficient. But to reduce pressures and ease finances, the drive from PCTs towards providing equally good, if not better, care in the community needs to increase significantly.'
