Lords Committe on NHS sustainability to hear from Nuffield Trust
The House of Lords Committee on the Long-Term Sustainability of the NHS will this week take evidence from the Chief Economist at the Nuffield Trust and senior Professors in healthcare science.
The session comes as long-term cost pressures on the NHS - and how to respond to them - make the headlines with plans to reorganise health services across parts of the country being widely reported and suggestions that some people could lose access to routine surgery if they have lifestyle associated health risks such as smoking or obesity.
The evidence sessions will start at 10:45am on Tuesday 6 September in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords. Giving evidence to the Committee will be:
10:45am:
- John Appleby, Chief Economist, Nuffield Trust.
11:45am:
- Sir Muir Gray, Honorary Professor, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences
- Professor Kath Checkland, Institute of Population, University of Manchester.
In the first session with John Appleby questions will focus on projections for NHS funding shortages to 2030 and how much can realistically can be saved through efficiency improvements, how healthcare services can be delivered to ensure they are sustainable in coming years, what can be done to better integrate health and social care and the role of private funding.
In the second session the Committee will ask the witnesses about the distinction between ‘demand management' and rationing in health care provision and how demand management can be done in a transparent way. Questions will also cover whether demand management can realistically make significant savings to NHS budgets and the potential conflicts between scientific advice and demand management decisions.
