§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the implementation of the Griffiths report by regional and district health authorities will be mandatory or optional.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe are still considering the responses to the consultation letter on the Griffiths report and are not yet in a position to make a policy statement.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the Government have any plans to amend the existing statutory obligations in the National Health Service pertaining to patients' safety and professional practice in the light of the recommendations of the Griffiths inquiry for a primary reporting relationship of functional managers to the general manager.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Government have no plans to seek any statutory changes as a consequence of the Griffiths report.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what evidence was considered by the Griffiths inquiry on the review of functional management structure at all levels from unit management team to chief officers;
(2) what research was conducted by Mr. Griffiths during his recent inquiry; and in which regional or district health authorities.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeMr. Griffiths and his team were asked for independent advice on the effective use and management of manpower and related resources within the NHS. The team met, and received evidence from, a wide variety of professional and staff bodies in the NHS, including representatives of trade unions. They have not included the names of these bodies or details of the research and other evidence considered, in their advice, but they do say that they found no significant or serious objection anywhere to the line of inquiry they were pursuing, and indeed gained general support for their developing ideas.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence he has that the management of the National Health Service has not been carried out in an acceptable and efficient manner since the reorganisation into district authorities in April 1982.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeMr. Griffiths and his team have advised that the National Health Service should be capable of achieving and sustaining much higher levels of efficiency. This view is supported by other sources including audit and "Rayner" scrutiny reports. The large majority of those who have commented on the team's report accept that the management of the Health Service can be improved.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research he has done to estimate the detailed financial savings that may result from the Griffiths report; in what regional or district health authorities; and whether he will publish this research.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIt would be absurd to pretend that it is possible to estimate the detailed financial savings that might be achieved by implementing the many changes proposed in the Griffiths report in an organisation as large and complex as the National Health Service. We are satisfied that there is scope for achieving much higher levels of efficiency and that this will be demonstrated as authorities put in hand major cost improvement programmes. We are therefore also satisfied that these programmes will release significant additional resources to enable the service to improve patient services and meet growing demands for health care.