HEALTH Secretary Sajid Javid has vowed to tackle head-on discrimination, bullying and other bad practices in the NHS, uncovered by a major health review.
Javid said on Wednesday that the UK had been left with a “Blockbuster healthcare system in the age of Netflix,” and urged for drastic change to “dramatically” enhance productivity in the sector.
General Sir Gordon Messenger, a senior former military commander, led the investigation, which found “institutional inadequacies” in the way leadership and management in the health industry were taught, developed, and valued.
Sir Gordon was recruited by Javid shortly after pledging to be “watchful of any waste or wokery” in the use of record NHS cash.
The report states: “We are not advocating for additional EDI [equality, diversity and inclusion] professionals; indeed we would anticipate a reduction in numbers over time as leaders demonstrate that they are equipped with the right skills to address inequality and create inclusive working cultures for all.”
Javid said: “In my view, there are already too many working in roles focused solely on diversity and inclusion, and at a time when our constituents are facing real pressures around the cost of living, we must spend every penny on patients’ priorities.
“As this report sets out, it should be the responsibility of everyone to encourage fairness and equality of opportunity which is why we must reduce the number of these roles.”
Javid added: “The findings in this report are stark, it shows examples of great leadership but also where we need to urgently improve. We must only accept the highest standards in health and care – culture and leadership can be the difference between life and death. I fully support these recommendations for the biggest shake-up of leadership in decades.”
The research recommends major changes, including providing the correct incentives to recruit top personnel to the most difficult occupations.
Also, new management standards must be established, including mandatory training for everyone progressing to high positions.
The assessment was commissioned as part of an attempt to make sure that an extra £12 billion in funding for health and social care, financed by a 1.25 per cent increase in National Insurance, is used effectively.
Sir Gordon and Dame Linda Pollard, chairperson of Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, conducted the evaluation after talking with over 1,000 front-line workers, managers, and leaders from the health and social care sectors.
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