Top-performing hospitals could be rewarded with greater
freedom
Hospitals that achieve the maximum three-star rating
in the Department of Health's assessment exercise could be rewarded with
greater financial and managerial freedom. Such hospitals would be subjected
to reduced control from Whitehall.
The Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn,
revealed this at a seminar organised by the New Health Network. 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 added that in cases where the hospital
management was persistently failing, the hospital could be franchised
out to not-for-profit bodies.
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