The NHS Future Forum recommendations, published today (10 January), state that the proposed changes should be implemented only when the NHS is ready.
They say nurses, specialist doctors and other clinicians must be involved in local commissioning decision making, not just GPs.
The forum believes social care should integrate around the needs of patients and the NHS should work towards preventing poor health and promoting healthy living.
They also recommend that drive for change should not be based on Monitor’s duty to ‘promote’ competition, which should be removed, but on citizens’ power to challenge the local health service when they feel it does not offer meaningful choices or good quality.
Jacque Gerrard, RCM England director, said: ‘The upcoming reform of the NHS has generated a number of concerns among midwives about how it will affect the quality of care in maternity services.
‘If accepted by the government, a number of the forum’s recommendations will go some way to addressing these concerns.
‘In particular, the RCM is pleased that the forum has recommended that health and social care should integrate around the needs of the patient.
‘The suggestion that the NHS should be refocused towards preventing poor health and promoting healthy living, including improving the health of NHS staff is a positive step.
‘Midwives have a vital role to play in promoting and improving public health that is often overlooked.
‘There is also no doubt, as the forum recommends, that workforce planning and education should be responsive to the changing nature of maternity care.
‘To ensure the safest services and so that women and their babies receive high quality care, it is crucial that midwives have access to on-going professional development so that their skills are up-to-date.
‘Too often, the pressures of inadequate midwife numbers and the demands on maternity services mean that this does not happen, so the recommendation to support this is very welcome indeed.’
Andrew Lansley, health secretary, said: ‘Our plans are based on established best practice, which we want to spread throughout the NHS, driving out poor performance.’
The NHS Future Forum was launched in April 2011 as part of the government’s listening exercise on the NHS reforms.
Its 45 members have attended around 200 events and have met more than 6,700 people face-to-face.
More than 25,000 people have sent their views to the forum by email, while a further 4,000 have sent private comments, completed questionnaires or website responses.
Forum chairman, professor Steve Field, said: ‘There is no doubt that the NHS needs to change.
‘The principles underlying the bill – devolving control to clinicians, giving patients real choices and control, and focusing on outcomes – are well supported.
‘However, during our listening we heard genuine and deep-seated concerns from NHS staff, patients and the public that must be addressed if the reforms are to be progressed.
‘If the substantial changes we propose are accepted by government, then I think the resulting framework will place the NHS in a strong position to meet this objective and tackle the pressing challenges in the years ahead.’
The recommendations can be viewed
here.
