Free Nursing Dissertations - (doh, 2004) Despite All This, The Importance Of National Targets Cannot Be
(DoH, 2004)
Despite all this, the importance of national targets cannot be downplayed and targets emphasised by the Department of Health have always been instrumental in shaping policies and have an impact on collaborative working and modernisation plans of the NHS. All NHS employers for instance have difficult targets to maintain and the targets are set for NHS employers and health service agencies. National standards are related to National targets as certain frameworks and acheivement objectives set, help in realising goals of the health department. The importance of the National Standards of Health could be stated by the facts that they
provide a common set of requirements applying across all health care organisations to ensure that health services are provided that are both safe and of an acceptable quality
provide a framework for continuous improvement in the overall
quality of care people receive. The framework ensures that the extra resources
being directed to the NHS are used to help raise the level of performance
measurably year-on-year.
In 2004, Health Secretary John Reid cut down the number of national targtes that should be reached by the NHS from 62 to 20. There was a grwoing recogntion to shift the focus of NHS from national targets in health care achievements to more local targets. The NHS plan given by the Department of Health in 2000 has been considered as the biggest change to helathcare since the establishment of NHS in 1948. The NHS plan
emphasised on a health service designed around the patient with more investments in NHS facilties, NHS staff and changes not oly in the systems of the NHS but changes between health and social services and changes in NHS doctors. Changes of patients, nurses, midwives and therapists have also been suggested along with changes in the relationship between the NHS and the private sector. Some of the other national targets set up by the NHS and given in the NHS plan was cutting waiting times for treatment, improving health and reducing inequality, providing dignity, security and independence in old age and setting up clinical priorities according to the reform program.
According to the Department of Health, the national targets will accelerate improvements in a small number of national priority areas.
The reduced number of national targets include:
· achieving year-on-year reductions in MRSA levels and future reductions in other hospital acquired infections;
· an 18 week maximum waiting target from start time to treatment by 2008;
· helping people to manage their long-term conditions so they spend less time in hospital; and
· improving the health of black and ethnic minority communities.
Dissertations - Free Nursing Dissertations
