Blair commends "great" health service
Blair: NHS reforms have worked
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Thursday, 14, Sep 2006 06:12
Real improvements have been made in the nation's health service during Labour's time in power, prime minister Tony Blair insisted today.
Speaking during a visit to a primary care centre and the University Birmingham Hospital, Mr Blair told staff that they should be commended for their contribution to a health service which the nation could be proud of.
"The really important thing about today's health service is that it is absolutely true to its values and provides quality 21st century healthcare," he said.
He added that reforms had meant that the NHS now has the "newest technology" and "newest treatment" and that "people will come from all over the world and say this is how healthcare should be done".
"It's great but it requires a great deal of commitment from people like yourselves," he told health workers.
According to the government, there are now 85,000 more nurses and 32,000 more doctors in the NHS than a decade ago.
Figures released by Downing Street to coincide with the visit sought to highlight that patient care has improved and key reform has been achieved through the NHS foundation trusts and independent sector treatment sectors.
The Department of Health statistics claim that nine out of ten patients rate their care as 'excellent', 'very good' or 'good' and that current waiting times are the lowest in the history of the NHS.
However, speaking in response to Mr Blair's comments, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the King's Fund health think tank, said: "There is no firm evidence as yet to show the reforms have led to a marked improvement in the nation's health and there are still important problems to be solved.
"Modernisation is well under way but the job is far from complete."
He added that aspects of the reform agenda which have the potential to make a real difference could be "unhinged by the widespread financial deficits facing the health service".
"Large underlying deficits in some local areas need to be tackled as a matter of urgency, while the reforms will continue to flounder if the government fails to get doctors, nurses and other health professionals fully on board," he concluded.