Commenting one year on from the publication of the NHS long term plan, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:

“A year ago, trust leaders welcomed the broad vision and ambitious programme of transformation for a 21st-century health service set out in the NHS long term plan.

A year ago, trust leaders welcomed the broad vision and ambitious programme of transformation for a 21st-century health service set out in the NHS long term plan.

Saffron Cordery    Deputy Chief Executive

“However the questions they raised then - about the need to prioritise these ambitions, and to set out clearly what should be delivered, by when, within the funding and workforce constraints - still remain. 

“We will not be able to deliver on these ambitions, and risk setting the NHS up to fail, if we do not turn around the severe workforce challenges that health and care services are facing. The full NHS people plan, which we are expecting soon, must meet the challenge of rapidly rising demand for care.

“While we have seen some positive announcements on capital investment into health service buildings, IT and equipment, we have a long way to go to cover years of underinvestment in order to rebuild our NHS.

While we have seen some positive announcements on capital investment into health service buildings, IT and equipment, we have a long way to go to cover years of underinvestment in order to rebuild our NHS.

Saffron Cordery    Deputy Chief Executive

“We also need a clear path and a realistic timeline for recovering performance in areas such as emergency care, cancer and planned operations, and additional investment in community, mental health and ambulance services.

“Finally if the NHS is to deliver its plan, government must ensure support for a sustainable and fair social care system and reverse years of public health budget cuts.”