All Together Now - Primary Care's Role In A Tough Economic Climate

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 15 Jul 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The financial crisis and lack of trust in public services mean that the NHS and the government face tough political and economic challenges ahead. In this climate, improvements in health services will only be possible if primary care takes the lead and political leaders sharpen up their vision.

This year's NHS Alliance Annual Conference will bring together high-profile speakers - from patients to clinicians and politicians - to take a long hard look at key strategic initiatives driving the developments in primary care.

The Conference, entitled All Together Now, will take place on 20-21 October in Manchester and will address key issues such as integrated commissioning and provision, world class commissioning and Lord Darzi's plans. But this is no ordinary conference. This year, all issues will be discussed through the eyes of our 'Reality Check Panel', comprising one patient, clinicians, one manager and one commentator, which will ensure that speakers are challenged about how their vision can become reality.

In a time when the NHS is suffering from a lack of political direction, the Conference will state the case for primary care as leading the way to a better and more efficient NHS.

Michael Sobanja, chief executive, NHS Alliance, said: "We know the health service faces tougher times ahead, but the politicians in both parties have to come clean on their plans for the NHS if we are to plan sensibly for lean, or perhaps leaner, times ahead. The current announcements are confusing and send mixed messages. One of the really confounding issues is that public and service expectations and aspirations are out of synch. Only the politicians can fix that."

High-profile speakers include Rt Hon Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Health; David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive; Dr Michael Dixon, chairman for the NHS Alliance; John Appleby, chief economist, health policy, The King's Fund, and Andrew Lansley MP, Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Health.

The conference will also present a series of workshops which will tackle practice-based commissioning, the future of general practice, world class commissioning of urgent care, NICE and the new QOF, patient-centred NHS, among others.

For further information, please visit http://www.nhsalliance2009.co.uk

Source
NHS Alliance

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