Service Reconfiguration
Joint Statement from the BMA’s Central Consultants and Specialists Committee and the General Practitioners Committee
This joint statement, produced by the Central Consultants and Specialists Committee and the General Practitioners Committee, aims to set out the guiding principles for service reconfiguration. This statement builds on ‘Hospital Reconfiguration: a Good Practice guide’ published by the CCSC in May 2007. The aim is to promote constructive dialogue and collaborative working between GPs and consultants, via PCTs where necessary, for the benefit of patients. This is essential if service reconfiguration or service change, in any given area, is to be successful.
The following criteria are essential for any service reconfiguration plans:
Reconfiguration must:
- Be evidence-based
- Enhance the standards of patient care across a health economy
- Be clinically-led in partnership with patients
- Be safe
- Include clear reporting of agreed outcome and financial data
- Include an impact assessment before a planned reconfiguration is implemented
Reconfiguration must not:
- Be driven by financial pressures
- Undermine existing services to the detriment of patient care
Where clinicians find these principles are not being upheld, they should contact the BMA and also consider raising this through their Trust, or PCT mechanisms, the local Overview and Scrutiny Committee or their local MPs. Advice on liaison with patient groups and also on Overview and Scrutiny Committees can be found in the NHS Primary Care procurement guidance referred to below.
Further information can be found here:
Hospital reconfiguration – May 2007
Referral Management Schemes – March 2007
New NHS Primary Care Procurements – May 2008