NHS Continues To Deliver Key Priorities, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 08 Mar 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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The NHS met a number of key commitments on healthcare priorities at the end of last year and continues to show strong financial management, the Department of Health announced today.

The Quarter 3 (October-December 2008) performance report published today shows that:

- The NHS met its target to have half of GP practices offering extended opening hours by the end of 2008. In January, over 71% of surgeries were opening at evenings and weekends, providing patients with greater flexibility and choice.

- Smokefree legislation has helped reduce rates of smoking to their lowest ever on record, with only 21% of adults smoking. We continue to see a steady decline in smoking among all groups, especially routine and manual workers.

- Progress has been made in tackling the decade long rising trend in childhood obesity. Latest data published in December showed that in 2007, there were 65,000 fewer obese children and 105,000 fewer overweight children than would be the case if the trend had continued.

- Good progress continued to be made on tackling Healthcare Associated Infections and meeting the 18 Weeks waits target.

Latest data on NHS financial performance forecasts the gross operating deficit to be £57 million at year-end, down from £125 million at the end of 07/08. The predicted surplus of £1.735 billion will stay within the NHS and will be used to improve patient care.

Commenting on the report David Flory, Department of Health's Director General of NHS Finance, Performance and Operations said;

"This report confirms the excellent progress the NHS is continuing to make and its achievements in key priority areas. A strong financial position, backed by good progress on delivery, will continue to ensure high quality services for patients, particularly in the current economic climate.

"Building on our success in meeting key targets for GP access, 18 week waits and tackling Healthcare Associated Infections we are now making real progress against public health goals. This quarter, we have reduced smoking rates to their lowest on record and we are beginning to see a levelling-out in childhood obesity.

"It is not enough to just meet our key targets for healthcare, our challenge now is to raise standards even higher and deliver world class healthcare to all patients.

"During these tougher economic times the NHS, along with the rest of the public sector, will have to make its contribution to delivering greater efficiency. The NHS recently exceeded its Gershon efficiency targets and that gives us confidence that are well placed for the challenges ahead."

Notes

1. 'The Quarter' report updates the NHS on progress towards key priorities, including financial health and can be found at: http://www.dh.gov.uk

Department of Health, UK

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