Description
The transcript is a conversation between James Mackay, National Director for Elective Recovery and Chief Executive of Northumbria Healthcare, and Mike Reed, discussing key topics related to elective recovery in the NHS on September 13, shortly after a new government formed and a royal bereavement occurred. The dialogue touches on various priorities, including:
1. **Elective Recovery Status**: James emphasizes that while elective recovery is still a priority, it has been affected by other healthcare access issues, such as primary care disruptions, urgent care delays, and ambulance response times.
2. **Progress and Challenges**: They discuss the significant progress made in reducing long patient waits, particularly those exceeding two years. By the end of September, it is expected that fewer than 1,000 such patients will remain, marking a milestone in recovery efforts.
3. **Financial Arrangements**: The conversation shifts to current financial models, highlighting a blend of payment structures transitioning towards a more activity-based system. The discussions reveal concerns among healthcare departments regarding confusion over financial arrangements and highlight the need for clarity in what constitutes success in the new framework.
4. **Elective Hubs**: James outlines the role of elective hubs in ensuring a clear separation between urgent and elective care, aiming to protect these streams while accommodating increased pressures during winter months.
5. **Integrated Care Systems (ICS)**: They touch on variations in the effectiveness of ICS in different parts of the country, noting that ownership and responsibility are gradually shifting towards these local systems, although acute challenges remain at the provider level.
6. **Pension Tax Concerns**: The discussion also addresses pension tax implications for healthcare professionals, with James suggesting pension recycling as a potential solution while recognizing the broad political complexity surrounding this issue.
7. **Call for Action**: James concludes by urging colleagues to be proactive, encouraging them to innovate and challenge existing protocols to meet public demands effectively. He highlights that the initial successes in recovery should inspire continued momentum in tackling the ongoing backlog in elective care.