Help Make your NHS Even Better
News Release:
Five-year 'Improving Care, Investing in Change' programme will create more patient-centred locally accessible health services:
» City of Edinburgh
» East Lothian
» Midlothian
» West Lothian
ends.
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Related Updates:
Consultation Update No 2 - Feb 2005
Consultation Update No 1 - Dec 2004
Related Documents:
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| Welcome to Improving Care, Investing in Change.
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| This document has been published by NHS Lothian as the centrepiece of a public consultation exercise on our plans to modernise the region's health service. |
| It gives a clear and straightforward explanation of why change is needed and what we want to do. |
| Our proposals follow a long period of discussion and debate in which the public, as well as NHS professionals and other interested groups, have had a major input. |
| Now we are throwing the net even wider to give everyone in Lothian the chance to comment. |
| We are not simply offering a take-it-or-leave-it plan but asking a series of questions on a range of issues. |
| This means your views really will count. |
| While we think that most people will welcome much of what we suggest, there are difficult issues which need to be tackled. |
| This makes it all the more important that everyone can have a say on what direction we should take. |
| It is your NHS. |
| You rely on it, you pay for it and by taking part in this consultation you can shape its future. |
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| Foreword |
| The National Health Service is a remarkable and cherished institution. But it is one that must move forward. |
| It emerged in the days following World War II when there was a determination to build a brighter future for all. A cornerstone of this better society was to be a health service that was free at the point of delivery and which served us all, regardless of wealth or status. Since its foundation the NHS has been striving to offer the best possible care for everyone, at each stage of their lives. This philosophy remains at the heart of everything we do. |
| But much has changed since the 1940s and the health service needs to adapt to meet the challenges of the 21st century. This is true in Lothian and everywhere else in the country. |
| NHS Lothian is responsible for delivering health care across the region and we are determined to build a modern and effective service that properly caters for the needs of patients and staff. Improving Care, Investing in Change explains how and why we hope to change and improve. It results from a long period of debate involving over 1000 staff, patients and other stakeholders. |
| These discussions underlined the fact that we face many powerful forces for change and that a fundamental transformation is essential if we are to provide the health services people want and need. |
| Our vision is for a seamless service, where the skills of our staff are put to full use, and which ensures that patients have ready access to the care they need. |
| This demands a planned approach that is patientcentred and removes barriers between different parts of the service. |
| Our proposals aim to move NHS Lothian into a new era where we can remain true to our founding principles by making the best use of all our resources. |
| But the NHS belongs to everyone and we want as many people as possible to be involved in shaping its future. For this reason we are launching a public consultation in which everyone in Lothian is invited to have their say. |
| We hope you will help decide the best way forward for your NHS by reading the rest of this document and letting us know what you think can be done to tackle the challenges we face. |
A summary of this document is available on request in Braille, tape, large print, various computer formats, and community languages.
Please contact ITS on 0131 242 8181 and quote ref: 02027
