Johnson: NHS is out of intensive care

Part of a new review on change in the NHS will involve a move away from a target culture, the new health secretary has said.

Alan Johnson yesterday announced details of the far-reaching review, which will be conducted by health minister Professor Ara Darzi.

And speaking today Mr Johnson confirmed that there was now a need to move away from the target-driven culture that had proved so unpopular over recent months.

"Targets were very necessary when we came in in 1997," he told the Today programme.

"You could describe the NHS as being in intensive care. There was a terrible record of long waiting lists et cetera.

"As we are out of intensive care and on the road to recovery in the NHS, so to speak, we need to move away from targets."

However, Mr Johnson said some targets would remain, adding: "We have one main very precious target to meet, which is a maximum of 18 weeks between GP referral and treatment."

The health secretary also guaranteed there would be an end to "top-down" structural change in the NHS and said he wanted a "partnership with staff" to address low morale.

"It shouldn't be politicians or bureaucrats at the heart of decision making in the NHS; it should be clinicians," he added.