Health Secretary Sajid Javid has set out plans to tackle seemingly “intractable challenges” in the NHS.
Setting out his vision for the year ahead, Mr Javid said there is a “small window of time where we can make a big difference”.
Speaking at the NHS ConfedExpo conference on Wednesday, Mr Javid will condemn “contagious” poor leadership.
It comes after the NHS Confederation said the Government was “management bashing” to explain problems in the service.
It’s not about reinventing the wheel, it’s about listening to the innovators already doing incredible things within the system – then giving them a platform to do it— Sajid Javid
The minister will call for NHS staff to “feel like a leader”, even if they do not have a management job title.
Mr Javid will set out legislative reform as well as touch on plans to bring health and social care services together to tackle the backlog of care exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis.
He is expected to say: “It’s not about reinventing the wheel, it’s about listening to the innovators already doing incredible things within the system – then giving them a platform to do it.
“There are also some 50 acute trust collaboratives and mixed collaborative, bringing together acute, specialist, mental health and community providers.
“They’ve already shown that when we partner like this, challenges that appear intractable in one place can be resolved in another.”
He will add: “I’ve been determined we keep moving forward, because this moment in time we dare not lose.
“It’s a moment when we can combine valuable lessons from the pandemic, with incredible new technology and innovative ways of working, which, when taken together, help us face the challenges of the future.
“It’s a small window of time where we can make a big difference.”
Reflecting on the review of NHS leadership, published last week, he will tell delegates at the conference in Liverpool: “Just as (the review) found that bad behaviour was contagious, they found that great leadership was contagious too.
“It works best when everyone – even those without leader in their job description – feels like a leader.
“Other recommendations around training, standards and management will support this effort – helping the workforce at all levels, by creating the conditions for everyone to thrive.”
