RCGP response to Lord Darzi’s Next Stage
Review
30.06.08
Professor Steve Field, RCGP Chairman, said:
“The Royal College of General Practitioners is
committed to promoting high-quality patient-centred care based on a
partnership between patients and clinicians. Therefore we welcome
the Next Stage Review's ambitious focus on quality in
primary care and right across the NHS.
"The recognition - based on evidence - of the
central role of the GP and in supporting GPs so that we can lead
the changes is most welcome. We also welcome the commitment to
review the length of GP training so that we can deliver the RCGP
Training Curriculum and produce the highly trained GPs needed
to deliver Lord Darzi's ambitious agenda
"The overarching review and its primary and
community care strategy rightly moves the focus of the NHS towards
helping people keep healthy and preventing disease whilst also
re-emphasising the need to move care closer to the patient.
"While supporting the direction of travel set
out by Lord Darzi nationally, we are concerned that local PCT
management might not be able to deliver. The lack of engagement
with the RCGP and other professional bodies at SHA and PCT level
during the initial phase of the Darzi Review was disappointing. We
look to the Department of Health to ensure that local NHS managers
engage with professional bodies, patients and the wider public to
ensure successful implementation.
"This is an opportunity not to be lost and if
implemented successfully, the review should do much to improve the
health of the population in England.”
ends
For more information please contact the RCGP press office 020 7344
3135/3136/3137/3129 or email press@rcgp.org.uk