In response to the publication of the Public Accounts Committee report on NHS financial sustainability College President Professor Ben Burton said:
“The Public Accounts Committee has rightly highlighted the poor financial position of the NHS and the long-ingrained challenges to delivering the three shifts in healthcare the government is committed to.
“It has, however, overlooked the growing role of independent sector providers when pointing to the £1.4 billion deficit faced by ICBs in 2023/24.
“Between 2018 and 2023, NHS spend on the independent sector increased by £2.7bn. In ophthalmology alone the annual NHS spend on the independent sector performing cataract procedures is up 458%. We are increasingly hearing concerns from commissioners about their ability to control this spend, and from ophthalmologists regarding the unintended consequences of funding being diverted away from clinically higher risk patients. We want to see a review of how independent sector is commissioned by the NHS, with a focus on value for money and financial oversight.
“Improving information technology basics in the NHS will make a huge difference to improving productivity and helping achieve the three shifts. The committee importantly stresses the need to urgently move to electronic patient records. This must be an investment priority in the coming years. Standardised interoperable electronic patient records and image sharing capabilities will transform eye care pathways. It will help reduce duplication and unnecessary referrals, and enable more eye care services to be delivered in the community rather than hospitals, where clinically appropriate.”