NHS reform in England

The pace and direction of NHS reforms in England are causing considerable concern to health unions, including the CSP. In responding to these reforms and the challenging deficits situation, the CSP has drafted the following principles and aims.

CSP aims

  1. Working both individually and with other like-minded organisations, to seek to influence the Government’s approach to NHS reform and establish the CSP as an organisation actively and visibly engaged in the reform agenda
  2. To press the case for reform which is measured, evidence-based and which makes full use of the knowledge and expertise of CSP members and their representatives, and is therefore most likely to deliver a secure, seamless service to patients - within the founding principles of an NHS which is based on clinical need, free at the point of delivery, and accountable to those it serves
  3. To assist members, through appropriate briefings and training, to engage proactively in shaping future services at local level and to promote examples of good practice
  4. To reflect members concerns regarding the reform process at national level and provide co-ordinated support on the ground from all relevant CSP functions to members whose jobs, terms and conditions are under threat or who wish to campaign to protect a valuable local service
  5. Working together across the CSP to ensure that the interests of all sections of the Society’s membership are taken into account in developing policies and strategies on the NHS reform agenda, recognising that there will, on occasions, be different views on the best way forward and for these differences to be resolved through the CSP’s democratic structures, and that this is a sign of a healthy organisation rather than a problem
  6. Provide members with up-to-date information and a coherent narrative of the reforms as they progress through Frontline, the CSP website, iCSP and other media, including ways in which members can actively participate.

Further information on this website

Web pages

  • Our Policy in Focus section has analysis on a range of reform issues.
  • Why are social enterprise organisations being proposed as a way forward in delivering health services? Take a look at the new alternative to traditional public service organisations: social enterprise

News items

This text on this page was last updated on 17 Aug 2007.