Changing for the better: Guidance when undertaking major changes to NHS services - 9 May 08
- Extract from : http://tinyurl.com/4z9hdb
Foreword by David Nicholson CBE, NHS Chief Executive
Major service change is about modernising treatment and improving facilities to improve patient outcomes, developing accessible services closer to home and saving lives. Sir Ian Carruthers’ report on major service change, published in February 2007, was clear that patients’ clinical needs must come first in any proposals. This is reiterated in the interim report of the NHS Next Stage Review, which also recognised that the best examples of strong service planning and change had been led by clinicians – with appropriate managerial support – and that no major service change should occur except on the basis of need and sound clinical evidence.
During my visits to local health services, I have seen many excellent examples of local services working in a progressive and open way; with patient representatives, the public and clinical staff each taking leading roles in developing, explaining and implementing service change proposals. Despite this, I also hear from staff and the public that they need to be involved in the development of proposals for major service change from an early stage, rather than simply be asked for their comments during a formal consultation exercise.
This best practice guidance, building on earlier work by Sir Ian Carruthers, has been developed by clinicians and staff working in the NHS as well as patient group representatives. It draws heavily on their experiences of major service change, offers a guide for action to all local health services, and sets out a total of 15 recommendations that will help ensure the process is more open, transparent and fair. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to its development.
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