Modernisation Board identifies progress on NHS Plan

The NHS has made a good start in meeting targets set out in the NHS Plan, but this progress needs to continue for meaningful improvements in services to patients to be achieved, reported the first annual report from the NHS Modernisation Board, published last week.

The NHS Modernisation Board—a group of senior health and social care professionals, frontline staff, managers, and representatives of patients—was set up to advise the secretary of state for health on implementing the NHS Plan, a 10 year plan for improvements, published last year.

Members meet every three months to discuss progress and set priorities for changing the NHS. Their first annual report analyses changes in the NHS achieved in the year since the board first met in October 2000 and identifies areas for further progress.

One of the simplest changes to assess was the increase in the numbers of hospital beds and staff as a result of increased funding. NHS expenditure is set to …