A proposal for better governance of the NHS at a national level

Abstract

The NHS is now widely regarded to be in crisis. Campaigners and politicians usually see more funding as the key to rescuing the NHS from its current straits. However, while money is an important part of any solution, it is not the key issue. Simply pouring money into the existing structure provides inefficient, short-term and piecemeal solutions. A key issue is that there is little effective national governance and no mechanism for reaching a consensus on the many bitter controversies and critical problems afflicting the NHS. Addressing these issues is an essential first step, and a matter of urgency.