Health authorities axed in Bottomley reshuffle
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE FOURTEEN regional health authorities in England are to be abolished and replaced by eight regional offices of the National Health Service management executive, Virginia Bottomley, the Secretary of State for Health, announced yesterday.
At the same time the existing 145 district health authorities are to be telescoped into the 90 family health service authorities which run general practice, dental and pharmacy services in order to provide one body buying both hospital and primary care.
The changes, which Mrs Bottomley claimed would leave NHS management 'simpler and sharper' while providing 'substantial savings in management costs', were attacked by David Blunkett, Labour's health spokesman, as centralising and removing public accountability. They would offer further chaos rather than sensible planning in the NHS, he said.
Mrs Bottomley argued that the regional authorities had a role in the 'old hands-on style' NHS, but were not needed now.
'Substantial savings' would be made in the estimated pounds 200m cost of regions and the existing executive, she said, but she could not give any figures.
The announcement brought a string of worries from doctors', dentists' and nurses' organisations that their representation would be lost at regional level, but a welcome from health authorities and trusts.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments