Richards told the BBC today that the health service did not necessarily need extra funding to see better outcomes for patients.
He said: “Even at times of austerity, when the money hasn’t been coming through fast, we have seen a number of hospitals actually getting better during that time [and] a number of mental health trusts getting better because they have focused on what really matters to patients, on patient safety, on the whole leadership agenda within these hospitals, in order to engage their staff and deliver better care.”
Richards, who retires from his post at the Care Quality Commission on Friday, did however acknowledge that an increase to funding would be needed.
“It will need more money. But equally, what we have seen through our inspections is that an awful lot can be done [on the same budget],” he added.
His comments follow reports from charities and think-tanks that the NHS is facing a funding shortfall of around £30bn by 2021.
Commenting on Richards remarks, Niall Dickson chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “Money is necessary, it is a prerequisite but it is not sufficient.
“Simply pouring more money into the NHS is not the answer it does require additional funding both in the short term and there needs to be a proper analysis and a national conversation about what we need in the longer term.”
He said that the challenges ahead would be “very considerable”, but stressed the need for “fundamental transformation” of the system.
Dickson urged the health care system to move away from its focus on acute hospital treatment to a more preventative approach within the community.
“But you can’t do this without money,” he warned.
John Appleby, director of research and chief economist at the Nuffield Trust, echoed this sentiment.
Speaking to the BBC, he said the mantra of “no more money without reform” needed further clarification.
Appleby added: “In my research, one of the things that has really struck me is the big things that have really changed health care, not just in the NHS, are not via circulars from the Department of Health saying ‘we are going to reorganise the deck chairs for you lot’ but its come more from bottom up, from clinical development.”
Appleby stated that part of the reason the NHS had done better than expected throughout the period of austerity was because of the dedication of staff who are “working harder for less pay” – but he said this could not continue indefinitely.
Yesterday, research from the GMB union claimed that public sector workers, including nurses and midwives, were providing £11bn worth of free labour by regularly working unpaid overtime.
