'Challenges will be faced to meet new Government's targets' - Walsall and Wolverhampton health boss
The group chairman of two trusts who share responsibility for hospitals in Wolverhampton and Walsall says they need to concentrate on primary care and preventative measures if they are to meet targets under Labour.
Speaking at the first publicly open meeting of the Royal Wolverhampton Trust and the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust on Tuesday, Sir David Nicholson also said they will be putting emphasis on a 'Community First' policy under the new government.
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Sir David admitted they would face pressures to meet government targets, including 40,000 extra appointments a week nationwide – Labour in its manifesto commitments pledged to 'get the NHS back on its feet' – and has promised to implement them since winning the General Election on July 4.
Opening the meeting on Tuesday morning, he said they faced pressure on finances, waiting and appointment times in common with the national picture and those would become 'even more acute' as they go into the winter period later this year.
He said: "The early general election caught most people by surprise and with the new government comes new demands and targets which we are more than capable of meeting but it is going to mean a lot of pressure and hard work.
"Rather than dramatically reducing the waiting lists we need to deliver a policy which sees them consistently reduced as we approach the critical winter period where demand is higher.
"There is going to be pressure on budgets and an environment which has already been difficult is probably going to get even harsher. As well as investing in the facilities and staff and infrastructure we need to shift to a community first model where nobody has to wait weeks for treatment or an appointment or to be seen.
Caroline Walker, the interim group chief executive repeated the message about the pressures the two trusts face – she was appointed in March and has a record of improving patient care and has worked at board level in NHS trusts for 25 years
She said: "We need to provide effective care, and that doesn't include being treated or having to wait for a long time in either a hospital corridor or the back of an ambulance.
"There are many examples of trusts providing great care but it is hard work across the board including putting trust in the staff and refreshing wards and buildings as well.
"It is a case of utilising resources both financially and otherwise."
She also pledged to bring to a standard the '62-day-referral' treatment pledged by Labour meaning patients who have been referred for suspected cancer from any source will go on to receive treatment during that period.
