By Paul Dicken
16 October 2009
The streamlined National Health Service in Wales faces an ‘enormous and complicated’ task in meeting expectations at a time of reduced public spending, the Welsh NHS Confederation has said.
Seven new local health boards came into existence on October 1, merging previously separate boards and trusts. The Welsh Assembly Government expects the new organisations to be more efficient and to better integrate health and social services.
The boards are responsible for providing acute services and primary care. Three trusts remain: the Welsh Ambulance Service; specialist cancer hospital Velindre NHS Trust; and Public Health Wales, which takes over various information and screening services.
Jonathan Davies, policy and communications manager at the Welsh NHS Confederation, said: ‘These new organisations face an enormous and complicated task, at a time when public money is scarce and expectations are rising. The NHS in Wales is certainly up for the challenge ahead.’
Merging local providers (trusts) and commissioners (boards) into unified organisations is intended to end the internal market in the health service.
Welsh Liberal Democrat health spokesman Peter Black said there was a danger that the first few years’ existence of the organisations could be dominated by ‘cuts and closures instead of investment and improvement’.
‘I still have concerns about the working relationship between local councils and the new health bodies and how, locally, accountability can be achieved whilst the minister pulls the strings centrally,’ he said.
The WAG is hoping the new organisations will involve health, social services and the third sector working closer together in helping patients receive help close to home. The WAG will also draw up a five-year service and financial plan with the new boards to try to ensure trusts reach financial balance each year from 2009/10.
16 October 2009
The streamlined National Health Service in Wales faces an ‘enormous and complicated’ task in meeting expectations at a time of reduced public spending, the Welsh NHS Confederation has said.
Seven new local health boards came into existence on October 1, merging previously separate boards and trusts. The Welsh Assembly Government expects the new organisations to be more efficient and to better integrate health and social services.
The boards are responsible for providing acute services and primary care. Three trusts remain: the Welsh Ambulance Service; specialist cancer hospital Velindre NHS Trust; and Public Health Wales, which takes over various information and screening services.
Jonathan Davies, policy and communications manager at the Welsh NHS Confederation, said: ‘These new organisations face an enormous and complicated task, at a time when public money is scarce and expectations are rising. The NHS in Wales is certainly up for the challenge ahead.’
Merging local providers (trusts) and commissioners (boards) into unified organisations is intended to end the internal market in the health service.
Welsh Liberal Democrat health spokesman Peter Black said there was a danger that the first few years’ existence of the organisations could be dominated by ‘cuts and closures instead of investment and improvement’.
‘I still have concerns about the working relationship between local councils and the new health bodies and how, locally, accountability can be achieved whilst the minister pulls the strings centrally,’ he said.
The WAG is hoping the new organisations will involve health, social services and the third sector working closer together in helping patients receive help close to home. The WAG will also draw up a five-year service and financial plan with the new boards to try to ensure trusts reach financial balance each year from 2009/10.
