Efficiency savings : preparing for a bleak future?

Abstract

The NHS must make 20 billion pounds worth of efficiency savings over the next two years. Using the knowledge and experience of my own specialty in the historical as well as current context, I shall present my thoughts and propose a few ways to save money for NHS by trying to translate the facts from a single highly-specialised service into thinking about universal efficiency savings in NHS. I shall comment on the areas of waste and inefficiency that is being observed and commented on by clinicians working on the front line as well as by the strategic and operational leaders of different services across the regions, tiers and specialties. Finally, I shall reflect on how realistic these proposals are, and what challenges are to be expected in implementing these hypothetical cost improvement plans. [Introduction]