Trusts welcome less red tape but strike threatens to wipe out productivity gains

Responding to a speech by the secretary of state for health and social care at NHS Providers' annual conference and exhibition today, the chief executive of NHS Providers Daniel Elkeles said:
 
"All trusts want to get on with the job of caring for their local communities unburdened by unnecessary red tape. Today’s announcement takes some of the best rated trusts one step closer towards achieving that goal. 
 
"Our members have consistently called for more freedom and flexibility over their spending so more freedom to invest in improving and transforming services would be a win for patients. 
 
"What we need to see now is a transparent and fair process for moving trusts through the programme. We also need to make sure that the freedoms that are promised are delivered.
 
"Given pressures across the NHS and the need to transform services, these reforms need to add value, not cause a distraction. NHS Providers stands ready to work with the government to make sure that trusts that become ‘advanced foundation trusts’ and integrated health organisations deliver real benefits for providers, for the taxpayer and most of all for patients.
 
"The secretary of state is also right to warn there will be no winners if this week’s walkout by resident doctors goes ahead. It’ll be a major headache which could bring the progress made on patient care, safety and NHS finances grinding to a halt. We’re getting ready to make the NHS as ‘winter-proof’ as possible, but a costly five-day strike could wipe out productivity boosts in a flash.
 
"We all want to improve the working lives of valued resident doctors and it’s not too late for talks between the union and government to avert more days of disruptive strikes."