| Synopsis: |
The Health and Social Care Act 2012 requires the Secretary of State to produce an annual report for Parliament setting out how the National Health Service in England has performed. The first report was due from 1 April 2013, but this report is being issued early to show the direction the NHS is heading. The health service has performed well in 2011/12: it has maintained or improved performance against a range of quality indicators set out in the NHS Operating Framework, whilst also meeting the first stage of the financial challenge with a reported GBP5.8 billion of Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention savings. The report examines performance in the wider comprehensive health service: the NHS; public health; promotion of growth, innovation and research; education, training and workforce. There is also a specific focus on two priority areas - reducing health inequalities and the delivery of integrated care. The emphasis on improving health outcomes is reflected in the development of the outcomes frameworks for public health, the NHS and adult social care. Future reports will be focused on outcomes rather than process measures and system changes. |