Latest news with #AmandaPritchard
Telegraph
09-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
No more money for NHS, says new chief executive
The NHS has 'maxed out' what is affordable, its new chief executive has said. Sir Jim Mackey said the NHS had as much money as it was going to get and that there had been 'no conversations about tax rises' with Wes Streeting. The 58-year-old, who took over from Amanda Pritchard in April, said it was 'now about delivering better value for money'. He also said that 'we are all to blame' for the current state of the NHS, as he acknowledged that there were 'completely unacceptable things going on' across the country. In particular, he cited issues like 'old ladies being in corridors next to EDs [emergency departments]' and the failings of maternity units. Commenting on the £200 billion budget and getting NHS trusts to cut costs after they forecast a £6.6 billion deficit for the financial year, Sir Jim told reporters: 'The NHS is such a big part of public spending now we are pretty much maxed out on what's affordable. 'It is really now about delivering better value for money, getting more change, delivering on the getting back to reasonable productivity levels, but in a way that's human, and it's about standards and about quality.' Asked if there would be tax rises to fund the NHS 10-year health plan, he said: 'It's not been any part of our conversations that there will be a big tax raise to fund the NHS. I'm obviously not part of those political decisions, but it's not been factored in at all. He added: 'We've got a few big balls in the air around the 10-year plan, the spending review, but in the end, it will be about how we get back better value for the money that we've got. We will get some growth in the spending review, but it's never enough. 'So we'll have choices to make, the biggest choices will be about how we tackle variation and improve service standards and productivity in this next period.' Sir Jim said it was about 'trying to get beyond the things that have become a bit normalised over recent years that we would never have accepted'. He added: 'So 10 years ago, we would have never accepted old ladies being on corridors next to an EDs for hours on end and they've become normal in the NHS. We've got to get ourselves out of that, and everybody wants to get out of it. It's just very, very hard to do.' He said 'the impact and dignity of people, especially old people' of long waits on trolleys in corridors was something that he found 'awful'. The former accountant also said NHS leaders were 'all really worried about maternity' after a number of scandals and investigations into baby and maternal deaths and harms in recent years. However, he said there were issues 'in every part of the service'. 'There's lots of examples like that, where I think we've just sort of gradually moved to a point where we've accepted things that we should not really have accepted,' he added. He said he was worried about the 'desensitisation' to the poor state of the health service where staff have found a way of working around it, which he described as 'walking with a limp'. Sir Jim also said he was prepared to stand up to the Health Secretary and Government on behalf of the NHS despite overseeing the abolition of NHS England, which is being merged back into the Department of Health, over a two-year period, to give politicians more oversight. He said Mr Streeting was 'actually very good at being able to cope with country views and argument and discussion' and that the 'noisy discussions are the better discussions'. 'I have no problem telling anybody what I think. So any of you that know me, if I have a view, I'm going to express it, and if I think something's wrong, I'm going to say it,' Sir Jim added. 'But I'm very confident in the way that I've seen Wes work and his political team and the Prime Minister, that they actually don't want somebody to just go along with everything, and roll over and not say if they have a view. 'And I take that seriously. I'll absolutely be clear about what my position is, but we'll try and obviously work hard to not have big, terrible disagreements or disagreements that interfere with the mission, which is improving the service for people. So it's our job to find agreement.'
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
NHS England chief rules out big rise in health service funding
Ministers have 'maxed out' the amount of money they can give the NHS and it will no longer get big increases in its funding because of tight public finances, the health service's new boss in England has said. Sir Jim Mackey, who took over as NHS England's chief executive last month, said the state of the public finances meant the country could no longer afford big increases in spending. 'We are pretty much maxed out on what's affordable. It is really now about [the NHS] delivering better value for money, getting more change, delivering on getting back to reasonable productivity levels,' said Mackey, who replaced Amanda Pritchard. 'The financial thing is always with us [in the NHS]. There's never enough money for healthcare. The NHS is such a big part of public spending now.' His comments came in a speech to health journalists and a question and answer session at an event in London on Thursday organised by the Medical Journalists' Association. The remarks by Mackey – an accountant before he joined the NHS – could indicate that the health service will not receive a substantial increase in next month's comprehensive spending review. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, will unveil the review – setting out government spending for the three years between 2026-27 and 2029-30 – on 11 June. In her first budget last October she gave the NHS in England an extra £22bn for 2024-25 and the current financial year. Mackey's realism about the NHS's funding prospects may also foreshadow the amount of money the NHS has to fulfil ambitious plans to overhaul the service that will be outlined in the government's impending 10-year health plan. The document, which is being drawn up by a team of advisers to the health secretary, Wes Streeting, is expected to be published in early July, close to the 77th anniversary of the creation of the NHS in 1948 by the postwar Labour government. Mackey also defended the cuts to the budgets of the NHS's 215 trusts, which senior figures warned on Friday were 'eye-watering' and would lead to service closures and cuts to staffing. They are the result of a brutal 'financial reset' for the service that he ordered in March. Without such tough action the NHS was likely to overspend by £6.6bn this year, despite its budget being about £200bn, Mackey told the MJA. '[There was] the shock that that was creating [in Whitehall], the worry that was creating, [and] the anxiety about what that meant for the economy, and [with] the international instability that we've got, what it meant for broader society.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion He also warned NHS leaders that while they obsess about the financial restraints within which they work, the plunge in public satisfaction with the service should be their primary concern. Only 21% of people are satisfied with the NHS, the latest British Social Attitudes survey revealed last month. Mackey added: 'The thing we should all really bother about is the British Social Attitudes survey in all of this. It was really terrible last year [when satisfaction was 23%]. We all thought we'd bottomed out, and then it got worse in the latest one. So that was a really big shock; a really big sign that we're in danger of losing that connection with the public. [That] we'll lose that properly. We are in really serious trouble.' Mackey also made clear he disagreed with Streeting's routine description of the NHS as 'broken' due to its inability to be able to continue provide prompt care due to years of neglect under the Conservatives. Mackey countered that while 'it's very, very easy to generalise that this is all broken and failed', in his view the service 'is still delivering genuinely world-class care', although there was a worryingly wide – and 'completely unacceptable' – variation in the quality of care patients received.
The Independent
28-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
DIY cervical screening kits could be rolled out from early 2026, NHS plan says
At-home cervical screening kits could potentially be rolled out in England from next year to help meet the goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040, according to a new health service blueprint. NHS England said planning is under way to allow women to order DIY tests through the NHS App, or potentially through GPs and pharmacies, if recommended by the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC). The move could 'revolutionise access' to screening, according to NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard. Other measures being explored include offering vaccinations against human papillomavirus (HPV) – which is linked to the majority of cases of cervical cancer – in community settings like pharmacies. The National Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan, published on Friday, said the UKNSC will 'shortly be considering' HPV self-sampling as an option for those who do not engage with the cervical screening programme. It is hoped at-home tests, potentially rolled out from 'early 2026', will encourage people who would not otherwise attend screening appointments to take up the offer. Women aged between 25 and 49 are invited for cervical screening, also known as a smear tests, every three years, with women aged between 50 and 64 invited every five years. The procedure involves collecting a small sample of cells from the cervix to test for HPV. However, data published by the NHS last November showed five million women are not up to date with routine check-ups. The document said: 'Planning is already under way to ensure that, if the UKNSC makes a recommendation and it is approved by Government and funded, the NHS will be ready to implement it. 'Plans may include allowed tests to be ordered through the NHS App, as well as alternative options for accessing tests. 'We will ensure there is appropriate laboratory capacity and sufficient reporting capability to track and monitor the effectiveness of self-sampling.' Ms Pritchard made the pledge to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 in 2023. Last November, she also announced the rollout of a 'ping and book' service to encourage women to attend cervical and breast cancer screening appointments. This service will also be extended as part of the new plan, with more women expected to get notifications about cervical screening from later this year. Ms Pritchard said: 'Eliminating cervical cancer by 2040 is a momentous and world-leading ambition for the NHS, so I'm incredibly proud that today we're setting out a blueprint to make this a reality and save thousands of women's lives. 'We know busy life can get in the way, which is why the NHS is making it even easier to come forward – starting with extending our 'ping and book' service to cervical cancer, with more and more women to receive invites on their phone via the NHS App later this year. 'We are also really excited about the potential to revolutionise access to screening through self-testing, and this major plan sets out how the NHS stands ready to roll out DIY swab kits for thousands of women, subject to approval by the UK National Screening Committee. 'These tests could in future enable women to take part in screening from the comfort of their own homes, by simply ordering a kit via the NHS App, or through their GP or pharmacy.' A vaccine for HPV was introduced for girls aged 12-13, or school year eight, in 2009 and extended to boys in 2019. According to NHS England, in the 2023/24 academic year some 76.7% of girls and 71.2% of boys aged 14 or 15 were vaccinated by year 10. As part of the plan, the health service will look at expanding catch-up programmes of the jab, including offering them in settings like pharmacies. Inequalities in vaccination will also be explored to better understand barriers and perception in some areas. Ms Pritchard added: 'To help boost uptake further, we will also offer HPV vaccinations in new community settings such as pharmacies, as well as enabling people to track the vaccinations they are eligible for and book appointments at the touch of a button via the app. 'Together we can make this life-saving ambition a reality and save many more women the pain and trauma of cancer, and I'm delighted in my final week as chief executive to see the NHS set a clear path to making cervical cancer a disease of the past.' Trans men and non-binary people with a cervix who are not registered as female with their GP will also be invited for screening automatically using a new call and re-call IT system. The document also outlines the need to address workforce shortages in specialist areas, including implementing retention strategies and maximising the skills of staff. This includes potentially 'cross-training' staff such as nurses who perform colposcopies, procedures that examine the vagina and cervix using a magnifying instrument, to support services in hysteroscopy, cancer management, or quality improvement. Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of the Eve Appeal charity, welcomed the publication of the plan. 'We were delighted when an ambitious but achievable target for elimination was set for England, but as we know, a target is just a number if it doesn't have a plan behind it,' she added. 'Achieving cervical elimination does not mean 'fixing' one thing – it needs several different strategies and evidence-based approaches across HPV vaccination, improving screening uptake and ensure those with a positive HPV result move into treatment swiftly.'
Telegraph
28-03-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
DIY cervical checks to be offered from next year
DIY cervical cancer checks will be on offer next year under NHS plans. The self-checks will allow those who do not attend appointments the option to do their own tests at home, ordering kit on the app. Before then, the NHS will extend a 'ping and book' service so women can book appointments for screening on smartphones, from this summer. The plan published on Friday is part of efforts to fulfil a pledge to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, much of which rests on the rollout of HPV vaccination to teenagers. Currently, women aged between 25 and 49 are offered cervical screening every three years, with five-year gaps for those aged between 50 and 64. The checks which test for HPV have replaced standard smears. Now, health officials are gearing up for the rollout of HPV self-sampling for those who do not participate in the cervical screening programme in early 2026 if the recommendation is made by Government advisors. Amanda Pritchard, the NHS chief executive, said it was a 'momentous and world-leading ambition for the NHS'. 'We know busy life can get in the way, which is why the NHS is making it even easier to come forward – starting with extending our 'ping and book' service to cervical cancer, with more and more women to receive invites on their phone via the NHS app later this year.' 'We are also really excited about the potential to revolutionise access to screening through self-testing, and this major plan sets out how the NHS stands ready to roll out DIY swab kits for thousands of women, subject to approval by the UK National Screening Committee.' Ms Pritchard said the tests could enable women to take part in screening at home, by simply ordering a kit via the NHS app, or through their GP or pharmacy. Health officials said vaccinations would also be offered in more settings, including in pharmacies. She said: 'Together we can make this life-saving ambition a reality and save many more women the pain and trauma of cancer, and I'm delighted in my final week as chief executive to see the NHS set a clear path to making cervical cancer a disease of the past.' Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of the Eve Appeal charity said: 'We welcome the publication of a national cervical cancer elimination plan. 'We were delighted when an ambitious but achievable target for elimination was set for England, but as we know, a target is just a number if it doesn't have a plan behind it. 'Achieving cervical elimination does not mean 'fixing' one thing – it needs several different strategies and evidence-based approaches across HPV vaccination, improving screening uptake and ensure those with a positive HPV result move into treatment swiftly.'
The Independent
19-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Right time to scrap NHS England
Outgoing NHS boss Amanda Pritchard has said that the 'time is right' to abolish NHS England. With the Government due to announce its 10 Year Health Plan later this year, Ms Pritchard said that it was 'right' that the 'centre' should work more closely together. The Government said that scrapping the 'world's largest quango' would reduce duplication at the top of the health service. Thousands of jobs across NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are on the line as a result of the decision. In her final public appearance as NHS England chief executive, Ms Pritchard urged health leaders to inform staff about their futures as 'quickly as possible'. Ms Pritchard told delegates at an event at the King's Fund in London: 'There's no doubt that last week in particular was a very difficult one for lots of colleagues. She said that 'given the challenging financial context', it is 'right' that the service does 'everything it can' to make the most of taxpayers' money. 'But none of that is to ignore the fact that many people are now worried about their own personal futures, their own livelihoods, and many others will be worried about the future of the work they are doing. 'And on NHS England specifically, I've said before that I support the need for the Department, NHSE and other bits of the centre, to work better together. 'Reducing duplication, getting stuff done more effectively and giving local teams the space and support that they need to deliver for patients, these are the right things to do. 'But I also acknowledge that it is Government's decision and, in this case, Parliament, to make decisions about how public services are structured. 'What is crucial is that whatever comes next is done fairly, and done right, and that colleagues are given certainty on their futures as quickly as possible.' Ms Pritchard added: 'I do think it is the right thing for the centre, so NHS England, the Department of Health and others, to work more closely together. 'And I think the time is right to take the next steps to sort of radically reshape and reform how the centre works. 'I think that is right, because we need to be really able now to turn our attention to what it's going to take to deliver the 10 Year Plan, and then one team working on that. 'I think it's also really important that we do challenge ourselves on making sure we're making absolute best use of taxpayers' money, and therefore, where there is duplication, where there is friction in the way that we work, it is right to tackle that. 'It is ultimately the Government's decision about what the exact structures are that they want, and I would support 100% it is their right to do that, but radical reform definitely required.' She went on: 'The thing I would say, though, is it's really important to remember that there are real people who are working unbelievably hard every day to do the things that we ask them to do – whether that's in the Department of Health, whether that's in NHS England, whether that's in other parts of the health system. 'So the way this is done, doing it quickly, doing it fairly, and making sure it's done with really clear communication and support, is hugely important.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Commons on Thursday he wanted the merging of NHS England with the Department of Health to be completed within two years. He told MPs: 'Today we're abolishing the biggest quango in the world.' On staff reduction, he added: 'The size of NHS England, there are 15,300 staff; in the Department of Health and Social Care 3,300; and across both we're looking to reduce the overall headcount by 50%.' Ms Pritchard will become leader of Guy's and St Thomas' hospitals later this year. She joked that she would take speaking roles for 'weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, until I start my next job'. She added: 'I'll be selling CDs afterwards in the car park, of my greatest hits, which I have entitled Never Mind The Bureaucrats'.' Reflecting on her role, she highlighted some of the 'peculiarities' which come with the position, 'like being asked to attend a late-night karaoke party in the office of one of the secretaries of state – who I shall not name – to mark the publication of a new plan'. She added: 'If ever there was an incentive to slow-roll policy development, it's the prospect of being asked to belt out power ballads on the top floor of Victoria Street every time you launch a new initiative.'
