Today the UK government set out its legislative agenda for the next parliamentary session during the state opening of parliament. The King’s speech included government commitment to significant reform of the National Health Service in England (including the abolition of NHS England) through the NHS Modernisation Bill.
Responding to the King’s Speech and the announcement of the NHS Modernisation Bill, Professor Mumtaz Patel, president of the Royal College of Physicians said:
'It is welcome to see government commit to the NHS Modernisation Bill after announcing the abolition of NHS England last year. We look forward to seeing the detail of the bill. It is essential that clinical leadership is protected and strengthened as functions held by NHS England are transferred to the Department of Health and Social Care. Clinical expertise must remain central to decision-making at every level of the system to ensure that reforms work for clinicians on the ground and improve patient care. NHS reform must not become an end in itself.
'The single patient record has the potential to transform how physicians access and share information to provide safer, more joined-up care. As clinicians having all the patients records accessible in one place will enable more joined up and holilstic care for our patients. Done well, it could be one of the most meaningful improvements to patient care in a generation. But the risks around public confidence in data sharing and being able to use the insights that the data may deliver are well known. Safeguards to protect public and clinician trust will be critical. Success should be built on learning from existing shared care records.
'I urge the government to use this parliamentary session to deliver on its commitments made in the 10 Year Health Plan, publish a credible, detailed 10 Year Workforce Plan that invests in the medical workforce and expands the number of medical specialty training places, and to take action to close the gap in healthy life expectancy by going further on prevention and tackling the social determinants of health.'