The Public Sector cuts affect us all - is amputation really the answer?

Although it’s nearly a decade since the start of the financial crisis, the downgrading of growth and inflation targets by the Bank of England serve to warn us that we are still dealing with the consequences. Pressure has been maintained by the Government for budget cuts across all departments which in turn create significant operational pressure particularly on
front-line services. Although some budgets were ring-fenced prior to the spending review, in reality all departments continue to face cuts if not in front-line spending then in the back office.

Lord Patrick Carter re-ignited the debate of the planned £22bn of annual savings in the NHS by 2020 by detailing where some of his £5bn annual savings might come from. Many of his findings are not a surprise to anyone that understands the importance of great operations. Unlike the scaremongering of the media headlines, we know from experience in both the public and private sectors that it is possible to improve efficiency, save costs and deliver better quality services. By adopting best practice from across the NHS Lord Carter believes that outcomes for patients would be better and money saved at the same time. And this approach can be applied across Government.

When the Government spends approximately £600bn running its operations pressure to make cuts can only continue. We would like to explore some different approaches that can be taken to tackling the daunting task of budget cuts and the potential operational consequences for front-line services.