A new agreement is needed if the NHS is to reform

The implicit agreement between the government, the medical profession, and the public (on which the NHS was established) has been undermined over the years and needs to be updated, say Ham and Alberti (p 838). They recommend that a new, explicit agreement is needed, based on patients' rights, public responsibilities, greater accountability of the medical profession, resources, partnerships, support for effective care, and stewardship. Such an agreement can only be reached if representatives of the medical profession, the public, and the government trust each other and believe they are working towards common goals. This will not be easy, they say, but it is essential to enable the different partners to make an effective contribution to the reform of the NHS.

(Credit: BARRY BATCHELOR/PA)

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Relevant Article

The medical profession, the public, and the government

Chris Ham and K G M M Alberti
BMJ 2002 324: 838-842. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]