MHF welcomes Darzi's 'far reaching changes'

The MHF have 'broadly welcomed' the Darzi Review of the NHS.

High Quality Care For All - or, as it is sometimes called in the NHS jargon , the Next Stage Review final report - sets 'a new foundation for a health service that empowers staff and gives patients choice'.

The report attracted media attention for its proposed polyclinics but contains far more than this.

MHF Policy Officer David Wilkins says: 'The Darzi Review proposes far-reaching changes that promise to make the NHS more focused on the needs and expectations of patients and more responsive to the experiences of its staff. These are commendable objectives. It will be interesting to see how many of its ideas are translated into change on the ground, and how quickly.

'Perhaps understandably, given its remit to address structual issues within the NHS, the Darzi Review has little to say about the health of men, or about the issue of gender more generally. Many of the Review's recommendations for change have implications for service delivery however, and it is crucial that we use this opportunity to begin acknowledging gender as a key determinant of health status.

'In particular, Darzi's recommendation for taking a fresh look at how to make the best of the Qualities of Outcome Framework (QOF) is most encouraging. There is no doubt that QOF could be a lever for achieving greater gender equity in the delivery of primary care services.'

Ara Darzi, the House of Lords minister who carried out the report, says: 'By measuring quality across the service and, for the first time, publishing the results, staff and patients will be able to make better informed choices about care, together.

'By investing in additional health centres and services for GPs we will be able to diagnose faster and help people stay healthy, as well as treating them when they are sick.

'The new workforce strategy will make sure staff are fully supported to give the best care, with clearer, easier and more flexible career progression and clinical leaders at every level. This will unlock the talent of staff at a local level and in doing so ramp up standards of care.

'By setting clearer standards, recognising and rewarding innovation, we can keep pace with the latest advances in medical technology. The list goes on.

'The report,' he concludes, 'can only be judged by the results it produces. In other words, by its implementation.'