Responding to a report in the Guardian that the Prime Minister is considering a significant reorganisation of the NHS, to be cemented in a bill later this summer, Jon Restell, MiP Chief Executive, said:

“The NHS needs to focus on coronavirus and restarting services. It must not be distracted by a major NHS re-organisation.

“Fingers burnt by the Lansley Act have healed too quickly. These reorganisations tend to reverse progress for patients and service users, cost a fortune and see the damaging loss of managerial skills, experience and capacity. In the context of the pandemic, it could be disastrous.

“Innovation has been accelerated in response to the pandemic such as more digital access for both NHS staff and patients, and NHS bodies working more closely together.  The Government should study what’s happened and also ask NHS staff what they think. In our view only essential legislative changes to support co-operation and integration should be attempted.

“Politicians should instead focus on social care reform and make it the positive legacy of the pandemic’s many tragedies.”