NHS England should scrap many of its national targets, review says

The NHS should abolish many of its national targets while shifting its focus towards preventive healthcare, according to a review by a former Labour health secretary.

The study by Patricia Hewitt, commissioned by the government said that, while targets can help concentrate the minds of those responsible for a service, having too many makes them less effective.

It comes at a time when record numbers of people are on NHS waiting lists and as the health service in England continues to miss targets on A&E waits, the speed of ambulance responses, and cancer treatment times.

The review sets out new targets and failing to provide adequate funding for new initiatives makes it far harder to plan new services and recruit staff.

It  adds that an excessive focus on hitting targets by managers can lead to “gaming” of the targets and a “disastrous neglect of patients themselves”.

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Source: The Guardian, 3 April 2023