NHS Confederation responds to new NAO report on NHS England’s Elective Care transformation programmes

Responding to a new National Audit Office (NAO) report on NHS England’s 2022 Elective Care transformation programmes, Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation, said: 

“NHS leaders are doing all they can to drive forward the government’s ambition to reduce waiting times and get more people off long waiting lists, and there are some encouraging signs of progress with 2 million additional elective appointments delivered last year. 

“It is welcome to see that the NAO acknowledges some of this hard work and highlights the importance of clinical support and engagement to help drive the elective recovery needed.

“Every day across the NHS thousands of patients receive good quality care delivered by skilled and motivated staff so the NAO’s focus on clinician led change which creates opportunities for peers to learn from one another, as well using data to identify good practice and ways to improve is very helpful. 

“This report also rightly emphasises the importance of continued long-term capital investment into the health service, something which the NHS Confederation has long been calling for and which can be transformational in improving care and increasing productivity. 

“However, continued recovery will take time and is set against one of the toughest financial settlements we have ever seen, and with significant cuts to both NHS trust and ICB funding, this may take longer than hoped for.”