NHS reform must be judged by the difference it makes for patients and staff

Reflecting on the Programme for Government announced earlier this week, Laura Skaife-Knight, chief executive, NHS Grampian, said:

 

"The newly-announced Programme for Government presents a significant opportunity to shape a stronger, more sustainable NHS for the future and one that delivers better outcomes for patients across Scotland. I welcome its ambition, particularly its clear focus on improving patients’ access to care, reducing waiting times, unwarranted variation across Scotland and providing more support closer to home.

 

"Structural change is never an end in itself. It must be judged by the practical difference it makes to patients, families and communities and of course our staff. The proposed move to two Strategic Health Boards has the potential to simplify decision-making, reduce duplication and help services plan more effectively across larger populations. Most importantly, it could allow NHS organisations to use their collective capacity more effectively, so that patients can receive high-quality care more quickly and consistently, wherever they live. What is as important is the local arrangements that must be in place in Grampian moving forward to enable place-based care to be effectively delivered for our communities.

 

"We have already seen the potential benefits through the sub-national planning work undertaken across NHS Scotland. That work identified a clear ambition for fairer and faster access to care, shorter waits and fewer delays, simpler routes into urgent services, and more care delivered safely closer to home. It also highlighted opportunities to share capacity, reduce unwarranted variation, improve outcomes for people with the greatest health needs and move to more sustainable financial and clinical service arrangements across Scotland recognising the current fragilities that exist.

 

"For patients in Grampian, the commitment to rural equity is particularly important. Future planning must recognise the realities of distance, workforce pressures and service fragility, ensuring that people can access the care they need regardless of where they live. Digital services such as MyCare.scot also offer the prospect of easier access to information, greater control for patients and less need to repeat their story across different services multiple times. 

 

"There is much detail still to be developed and worked through. Meaningful engagement with patients, communities, staff and partnership and staffside will be essential. I will continue, with my senior team to ensure NHS Grampian has a strong voice in discussions about implementation as plans are further developed. However, the direction is encouraging. If we keep patient benefit right at the centre, this reform can help create a more connected, equitable and resilient NHS for Grampian and for Scotland, which is surely the outcome we all want."