Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

NHS Efficiency — [Sir Gary Streeter in the Chair]

02 November 2021 · 4 other contributors · 4,483 words

Opened by Paul Bristow Con Peterborough

Responding minister: Gillian Keegan

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Paul Bristow raised concerns about nhs efficiency — [sir gary streeter in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The NHS has fallen to ninth place in healthcare outcomes among wealthy countries according to an influential US think tank.
  • The speaker suggests implementing key performance indicators for NHS trusts and integrated care systems to incentivize efficiency.
  • The Minister highlighted that the UK spends only around 2% of healthcare expenditure on administration.

Key requests to Government

The speaker suggests implementing key performance indicators (KPIs) for NHS trusts and integrated care systems that incentivize efficiency gains. He also advocates for financial incentives tied to the adoption of best practices from programs like GIRFT, ensuring that funds are not given to underperforming entities without improvements.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Paul Bristow Con Peterborough

The NHS has fallen to ninth place in healthcare outcomes among wealthy countries according to an influential US think tank, which is a significant concern. The speaker believes that the current management structure within the NHS is inefficient and could benefit from practices seen in local government such as shared officers and back-office functions. Innovation in health care delivery is also lacking with some areas ignoring national best practice guidelines despite funding programs like GIRFT (£22 million). Additionally, there is a risk in delivering services due to staffing limitations.

Other contributors (4)
  • Daniel Poulter Con Central Suffolk and North Ipswich

    Draws attention to his declaration of interest as a practising NHS doctor, agreeing that attracting good expertise from the business world into the NHS can sometimes cost money but is necessary for productivity gains. Mr Poulter, in an intervention, raised the importance of clinical leadership in NHS management while questioning how to integrate broader business experience into the health service to drive efficiencies and benefit patients.

  • Dean Russell Con Watford

    Mr Russell highlighted inefficiencies within the NHS, such as duplication in website costs ranging from £87 million to £121 million annually. He stressed that improving patient experience is crucial for efficiency and suggested leveraging modern technology like apps and social media to create a seamless healthcare system focused on patient outcomes.

  • Philippa Whitford SNP Central Ayrshire

    In response to the lead MP's points, Dr Whitford highlighted the importance of empowering clinicians and ensuring they work at their highest potential. She noted that GPs often spend significant time on non-clinical tasks such as fitness notes and chasing appointments.

  • Luke Evans Con Hinckley and Bosworth

    Supports the idea of joining up simple IT between primary and secondary care to reduce clinician time wasted on administrative tasks such as chasing letters or following up blood tests, suggesting it could save 10% of a clinician's workload.

Government Response

Gillian Keegan

The Minister welcomed the debate, acknowledging the importance of NHS efficiency and productivity. She highlighted that the UK spends only around 2% of healthcare expenditure on administration and managers make up only 2.6% of the NHS workforce. She mentioned a review by General Sir Gordon Messenger to improve leadership in health and social care. The Minister noted the impact of the pandemic on NHS productivity, estimating a large negative impact based on ONS data. Despite this, she emphasized that the pandemic has spurred innovation within the NHS through initiatives like GIRFT and digital advancements. She outlined several funding measures including £2 billion for elective recovery, £700 million for surgical productivity improvements, £1.5 billion for surgical hubs, and investments in diagnostics and digitization to enhance productivity.

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