In support of Stepehen Black, I too have to correct Prof Paton's
assertion that the Health Select Committee Report states that
commissioning represents 14% of the NHS budget. Any close reading of the
Report shows that's not what it says at all(paras 34-38 and 182 refer).
The HSC Report says clearly it can't identify discrete commissioning
costs, but that some(not all) evidence points to all management and
administrative costs throughout the NHS being 14% . That including records
and outpatient clerks, medical secretaries as well as CEOs. The 14% isn't
the cost identified to the Committee purely of commissioning, and the HSC
Report doesn't claim it is. Any scrutiny of the evidence submitted by the
DoH to the Committee bears this out.
If anyone can point to a clear unequivocal para in the HSC Report
that says otherwise, I'm quite happy to be convinced, but I haven't found
one.
Of course we shoould debate the pros and cons of commissioning (or
any other model of planning and delivering healthcare for that matter).
This is really important stuff. Of course it is frustrating that the costs
of commissioning can't be ascribed more precisely. However, if we're going
to have this debate, the assumptions need to be rigorous and - above all -
accurate. The 'commissioning costs 14%' argument isn't, as far as I can
see, sustained by the evidence proferred.
Rapid Response:
Costs of Commissioning
In support of Stepehen Black, I too have to correct Prof Paton's
assertion that the Health Select Committee Report states that
commissioning represents 14% of the NHS budget. Any close reading of the
Report shows that's not what it says at all(paras 34-38 and 182 refer).
The HSC Report says clearly it can't identify discrete commissioning
costs, but that some(not all) evidence points to all management and
administrative costs throughout the NHS being 14% . That including records
and outpatient clerks, medical secretaries as well as CEOs. The 14% isn't
the cost identified to the Committee purely of commissioning, and the HSC
Report doesn't claim it is. Any scrutiny of the evidence submitted by the
DoH to the Committee bears this out.
If anyone can point to a clear unequivocal para in the HSC Report
that says otherwise, I'm quite happy to be convinced, but I haven't found
one.
Of course we shoould debate the pros and cons of commissioning (or
any other model of planning and delivering healthcare for that matter).
This is really important stuff. Of course it is frustrating that the costs
of commissioning can't be ascribed more precisely. However, if we're going
to have this debate, the assumptions need to be rigorous and - above all -
accurate. The 'commissioning costs 14%' argument isn't, as far as I can
see, sustained by the evidence proferred.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests