Lord Darzi claims NHS ignored patients

9th, May 2008

Lord Darzi has claimed that in the past NHS change hasn’t had a ‘purpose’ and hasn’t involved public engagement.

Lord Darzi has issued ‘five pledges’ ahead of the NHS Next Stage Review that is to be published in July.

He explained these pledges to the public on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme saying that NHS changes had been made without public consultation in the past.

“We haven’t brought the public and the patients with us when change was implemented. We may have done it for the right reasons but we may not have done it with consultations with the patients and the public.

“Any local change needs to have a purpose”

Yet there has always been a history of local public and patient consultation in the NHS. Speaking to Legal & Medical, an NHS London spokesman said:

“Where there have been changes we have always held consultations.

“There have been a number of local consultations such as A Picture of Health in South East London.”

As part of this consultation 700,000 documents and questionnaires were circulated across the area and around 9,500 responses received. More documents were sent out in this consultation than the number of people engaged across the country as part of Lord Darzi’s review. He said:

“There is no review ever before which engaged 2000 clinicians at a local level in engagement with the public. We’ve engaged 60,000 people across the country.”

However, the NHS London spokesperson said: “Consulting the Capital on the back of Darzi’s review has been one of our biggest consultations, finished in March and presented to the public 6 May.”

Lord Darzi’s pledges were as follows:

1. Change will always be to the benefit of patients. This means that change will improve the quality of care that patients receive - whether in terms of clinical outcomes, experiences, or safety.

2. Change will be clinically driven. We will ensure that change is to the benefit of patients by making sure that it is always led by clinicians and based on the best available clinical evidence.

3. All change will be locally-led. Meeting the challenge of being a universal service means the NHS must meet the different needs of everyone. Universal is not the same as uniform. Different places have different and changing needs - and local needs are best met by local solutions.

4. You will be involved. The local NHS will involve patients, carers, the public and other key partners. Those affected by proposed changes will have the chance to have their say and offer their contribution. NHS organisations will work openly and collaboratively.

5. You will see the difference first. Existing services will not be withdrawn until new and better services are available to patients so they can see the difference.

Click here to listen to Lord Darzi's interview with Radio 4

Lord Darzi claims NHS ignored patients

Lord Darzi has claimed that in the past NHS change hasn’t had a ‘purpose’ and hasn’t involved public engagement.

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