Professor Lord Darzi KBE

“High quality care cannot be achieved through one last heave, but only by recognising the need to accept, embrace and lead change.”

Those are the words of Lord Darzi who is currently leading a review of the NHS.

In the Department of Health’s recently published 'Next Stage Review: Leading Local Change', Lord Darzi sets out his vision for change in the NHS, placing clinicians firmly at the centre of the process.

The document, which indicates the themes that will eventually support Darzi's final report, highlights a number of key points, including:

• Improving quality of care is a constantly moving target;

• Change must be clinically driven and always be to the benefit of patients;

• Change will be locally-led and involve patients, carers, the public and other key partners.

Grahame Pope, chair of the Allied Health Professions Federation (AHPF), commented: “The continued emphasis by Lord Darzi on quality of care, inspired and underpinned by evidence, should be supported by clinicians and service users alike.

“Furthermore the insistence that change will be locally-led reflects the increasingly innovative and diverse approach taken by allied health professionals (AHPs) leading and delivering health and well-being services in a variety of settings - in hospitals, people’s homes, schools or people’s places of work.

“AHPs locally, and the AHPF nationally, will not only continue to support the drive for quality but will be at the forefront of designing and delivering quality, health and well being services through local innovation.”

The DH has also published a best practice guidance document aimed at providing clear guidance for patients, the public and NHS staff on the processes underpinning changes to acute NHS services.

Click here to download 'NHS Next Stage Review: Leading Local Change'.

Click here to download 'Changing for the Better: Guidance when undertaking major changes to NHS services'.

Posted: 08/05/2008