The health minister Ara Darzi was criticised last week for not having consulted widely enough before publishing his review of the NHS. But his report was welcomed by many commentators for the extra funding that it promised for new technologies.

In his interim report, which was launched earlier than expected, Lord Darzi has promised better access to GPs, a new health innovation council to develop and deploy high technology health care, infection screening for all patients admitted to hospital, and annual infection control inspections in acute trusts.

Lord Darzi insisted that his vision for a world class NHS throughout England would be achieved by giving greater power to local NHS staff and others with an interest in developing health services.

He said, “This is not about imposing more changes from the centre. Effective change needs to be led locally, driven by clinicians and others working in partnership across the service.”

To improve access to GPs Lord Darzi said that 100 new practices would open in areas with the worst provision and that new money would be made available to create 150 new GP run health centres that would be open seven days a week from 8 …