The government has found new momentum for NHS reform

The PM’s first policy speech in this Parliament was devoted to the NHS and marked a big shift in tone compared to the election.  The campaign message was somewhat defensive, majoring on the extra spending that the Conservatives would provide (and leading some to ask where the extra £8 billion a year was coming from).  11 days after the election, the message was very different. ‘The NHS must step up,’ said Cameron.  His key phrase was ‘There is no choice between efficiency savings and quality of care’. That was an unsubtle rejoinder to the health leaders who had been arguing, even during the election campaign itself, that much more money and staff must come.

Since then ministers have kept up the momentum.  Last week the Labour peer Patrick Carter, supporting the government, set out the waste in NHS equipment budgets.  Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, has taken over three NHS areas to make change happen faster.