The Foundation Trust Network (FTN) believes that the health select committee has heard a clear and unambiguous message that the health service needs fundamental reforms to make effective long term savings.
The FTN, which represents foundation trusts and NHS trusts covering acute hospitals, ambulance , mental health and community services, told the Committee that although health providers are currently managing to meet the financial challenge, with trusts reporting average savings of 5.7%, this is unsustainable as many of the savings are unrepeatable. This level of savings also goes beyond the 4% originally suggested as the extent of the savings needed.
FTN chief executive Sue Slipman said:
“We need to get away from short-termism, and look at the fundamental way that health services are delivered. This will mean a widespread redesign of the way that patients are treated. This could mean trusts removing whole services or deciding that services will be delivered outside of the bricks and mortar of a hospital building.
“Our members would like to see smarter contracts with longer terms that allow them to plan for change and realise savings effectively without compromising patient care. We told the Committee that there appears to be no convincing political strategy or public narrative about commissioners’ investment in service redesign to take costs out of the secondary sector. Half of FTN members who took part in a recent survey said that they have experienced a lack of engagement from commissioners on how to prevent patients having to return to hospital, for example by having rehabilitation in the community.
“There needs to be a clear, visible and creative use of the savings made to tackle demand, arising from rising expectations and an ageing population,.” said Sue Slipman.
“Recent debate has focused on the future of the Government’s health reforms. The FTN believes that the health bill must go through as so many of the changes are already well advanced. Without it the whole system will be in chaos. The legislation is not perfect but it does give a framework and freedoms to enable foundation trusts to tackle the mounting financial challenge.“