NHS Alliance: Commitment needed to fulfil promises

The NHS Alliance has called on the government to back up the pledges made by its health minister Lord Ara Darzi on the subject of NHS reform.

The organisation, which represents frontline clinicians and managers in primary care, has described Lord Darzi's proposals as "a welcome breath of fresh air".

It claims that everyone should be able to support the five promises, which says reform will benefit patients; be clinically driven; locally-led; and involve patients and carers.

But NHS Alliance chairman Dr Michael Dixon said "real evidence" was needed to illustrate Lord Darzi had the full backing of the NHS.

"We applaud Lord Darzi's five principles," Dr Dixon explained.

"Frontline clinicians and managers should be the power source of change instead of merely being 'engaged' and 'consulted' about change directed from the top."