In a joint report with the Health Foundation, we set out eight principles on which a future NHS payment system for health care providers should be based.
Faced with new challenges and priorities, it is widely accepted that the NHS payment system needs some level of reform to support the current environment and priorities.
The Health Foundation and NHS Providers have engaged NHS trusts to explore how the current payment system impacts on those providing care to patients by considering what works well, what problems they encounter, and how these problems could be addressed in a reformed payment system that supports new ways of delivering care.
The eight principles that should guide a future system have been identified as:
- clear purpose
- realistic expectations about impact
- national consistency with local flexibility
- appropriate, aligned incentives
- high-quality data
- balance between complexity of design and ease of use
- independent oversight and support
- time to embed and evaluate systems
Adam Roberts, head of economics at the Health Foundation, and Phillippa Hentch, head of analysis for NHS Providers will be discussing Towards a future NHS payment system: eight principles as part of our money strand at NHS' Providers annual conference and exhibition in Birmingham, 7-8 November.