Peer calls for review as he quits NHS post

A REVIEW of the NHS is needed to address a financial crisis, the former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake said, after quitting as the boss of a major hospital trust which has gone into special measures.

The peer, who is also a former chief executive of Sheffield City Council, resigned as chairman of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London, and claimed the health service could not continue “staggering along” under the current funding levels.

NHS Improvement put the trust into special measures yesterday, citing “serious concerns” about its growing deficit, which had deteriorated at a greater scale and pace than any other hospital trust. Ian Smith has been appointed by the body as interim chairman. The quango said King’s board had earlier this year agreed a budget deficit with it of £38m for 2017/18, but last week forecast it would hit £92m – an increase of £54m.

Lord Kerslake said there was “not enough understanding of the scale of the challenge that both King’s and the NHS is currently facing”.

Said the crossbench peer: “We face some here and now issues. I am deeply concerned about the position generally, actually, in London where most of the hospitals are struggling.

“But there is also a big issue about social care as well, which got no additional funding in the Budget.

“And I think, deep down, what we need is a proper review, a cross-party review, I don’t mind what it’s called, that looks at what kind of NHS do we want, how much is it going to cost and then how are we going to pay for it.”

Lord Kerslake, who has carried out some work for Labour, insisted that his decision to speak out was motivated by a “deep passion for the NHS” and was “nothing to do with party politics”.