13 February 2009
By Graham Clews
Doctors, nurses and other clinicians must take greater control of NHS expenditure, an unprecedented joint statement by medical and financial institutions has said.
The statement, issued by the Audit Commission, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the Department of Health and others, said all clinicians should understand basic NHS finance and know how measuring and benchmarking can affect patients' treatment.
The statement – also signed by the Royal College of Nursing, the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the NHS Institute for Innovation – said clinicians should be 'encouraged to take financial responsibility for their service, with the freedom to make changes and use the funds available to improve services'. It added that this should be seen as a 'normal' part of their role.
Clinicians should be provided with reliable and accurate financial information and training. They should have a wider involvement than simply managing their own budget.
It also urged NHS trusts to prepare clinicians for senior roles that combine clinical expertise, leadership and business skills and to create 'cross-disciplinary respect' at senior levels.
The statement called on strategic health authorities to oversee the provision of training. The organisations involved have promised to devise and support programmes to encourage financial leadership by clinicians.
Health minister Lord Darzi said that only by involving clinicians in financial matters 'will the NHS realise its full potential'.
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