Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt today announced a reorganisation of Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) in England.
This is the first announcement from the Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS consultation, which ended on 22nd March. The number of SHAs will be reduced from 28 to 10 and will ensure the NHS is structurally able to deliver the next stage of health reforms. Fewer, more strategic organisations will deliver stronger commissioning functions, leading to improved services for patients and streamlined back office functions will mean better value for money for the taxpayer.
Taken alongside the planned reorganisation of primary care trusts (PCTs), details of which will be announced shortly, these changes will:
- Strengthen the architecture of the local NHS.
- Save money by streamlining management and administration to provide better value for money so greater resources can be dedicated to patient care. This is another step towards creating an NHS which is patient-led.
- Cut out unnecessary bureaucracy by bringing together administration services and reducing the duplication of administration, human resource functions, accounts and hospital contract negotiation teams.
The new configuration of SHAs means they will be better placed to oversee and support the development of more strategic PCTs and the move towards more NHS Foundation Trusts. In addition, through almost complete co-terminosity with Government Office of the Regions' boundaries, joint working between health and local government agencies will be improved significantly.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said:
"These improvements to the local NHS will mean more money for frontline services and better care for patients."
The new SHA map was unveiled at a seminar at Number 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister and Patricia Hewitt heard an update on the financial turnaround programme from Sir Ian Carruthers, the acting Chief Executive of the NHS.
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Soc Chiropodists & Podiatrists 18-Apr-2006
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