Hags And Harridans - Beware! Says NHS Alliance Chairman

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: Public Health;  Conferences
Article Date: 23 Nov 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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The days of the "hags and harridans of gloom" are coming to a close, NHS Alliance chairman Dr Michael Dixon said at the NHS Alliance 10th annual conference, held in Manchester this week (22nd and 23rd November).

With around a thousand attending the conference, including doctors, NHS managers, nurses and other health professionals, he told delegates that these hags and harridans are those inside and outside the NHS who don't support local decision making - and who knock primary care trusts, GPs and policies like practice based commissioning.

Dr Dixon said:

"Primary care trusts are bound to make enemies of those with personal, organisational or commercial interests of their own. And there are still those who believe primary care should be a mere junior partner, that the ruling elite is based in secondary care. But remember, it's primary care that does the commissioning. Stop knocking it, and stop knocking PCTs.

"Along with strong clinical leadership and world class commissioning, we need a system that empowers PCT managers to their best without living in fear of losing their jobs every time they have an original thought.

"The hags and harridans knock practice based commissioning too. Yet it is the only logical solution that allows the NHS to be sensitive to patients and their choices, and balance the books as well. And where there is genuine, effective support from the PCT together with enthusiasm from practice based commissioners, there is a rare chemistry that creates innovation and improvement. That isn't just my view. It is what the Audit Commission says in its report.

"GPs too are under continuous attack. Blamed for a contract agreed between NHS Employers and the BMA, encouraged by government. Yet they, their practice managers and practice teams have made British General Practice the most accountable and highest quality in the world -- on just 6% of the NHS budget. So start listening to them, valuing them and getting the best out of them."

Notes:

1. The NHS Alliance is a collaboration of professionals who put patients first. Values based, it is the only organisation that brings together PCTs with practices, clinicians with managers and Board members -- and NHS primary care with its patients. The Alliance membership and its hard working national executive is fully multi-professional. It has 14 professional networks that include the PBC Federation, PEC Chairs Network, CETNET (the Chief Executives' Transformation Network) and many others.

2. The 10th NHS Alliance annual conference is held at the Manchester Central Convention Complex (formerly GMex). Speakers include Health Secretary Alan Johnston, King's Fund chief executive Niall Dickson, GP Dr Phil Hammond and bioethics expert Professor Donald Light.

http://www.nhsalliance2007.co.uk