Today the Prime Minister announced that NHS England, responsible for supporting and overseeing the delivery of healthcare in the NHS across England, will be merged with the Department of Health and Social Care.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists responds:
"The UK Government’s announcement about the NHS represents a fundamental change in the way decisions will be made across England. This will have implications for psychiatrists, the services in which they work, and their patients.
"These changes could represent an opportunity to deliver the much-needed improvements to mental healthcare - prioritise people with mental illness, reduce waiting lists, and ensure services are well-resourced. Good clinical leadership is key to the delivery of this.
"During the forthcoming period of change, it is essential to ensure that patient care remains uninterrupted, NHS staff are supported, progress made is not lost and innovation continues.
"The College is committed to working with the UK Government and senior leaders in the health service during this transition period.
"We will also support our membership to continue providing the best of care for patients now and going forward."
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Twitter: @rcpsych
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896