The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7181 p45-49
19 January 2002

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Successful hospitals and trusts will be given greater freedom

Successful hospitals and primary care trusts could be run on a "foundation" basis with less strict financial and managerial control from Whitehall, according to the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the New Health Network on 15 January, Mr Milburn said: "For 50 years, the National Health Service has been subject to day-to-day running from Whitehall. The whole system is top down. There is little freedom for local innovation."

He said that hospitals in England that achieved three stars under the Department of Health's performance ratings would be able to become foundation hospitals. However, hospitals where the management was judged to be persistently failing could be franchised out to not-for-profit bodies.

Mr Milburn added: "Who provides the service becomes less important than the service that is provided. Within a framework of clear national standards, subject to common independent inspection, power will be devolved to locally run services so they have the freedom to innovate and improve care for NHS patients."

See Comment, p44

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