(DH) New Health Secretary sets out vision for a people centred NHS - New emphasis on quality, innovation and prevention

A new era in the National Health Service that builds on targets achieved and prioritises quality of care was set out by new Health Secretary Andy Burnham today.

Addressing an audience of senior NHS leaders and managers at the NHS Confederation's annual conference, Mr Burnham pledged a 'deep clean' of superfluous national targets in favour of clearer, simpler standards and said that quality was "the route map through the funding challenges on the horizon".

Mr Burnham described the impact of the economic downturn on the NHS as a "moment of opportunity, not threat" and set out how improving the quality of health services - with a greater focus on preventing illness and disease - will lead to both a better patient experience and greater efficiency, helping the NHS meet the financial challenges ahead.

Announcing work to develop and introduce a new minimum standard for the NHS to eliminate all preventable MRSA infections, Mr Burnham said:

"The NHS has made huge progress. But I want it to go from good to world-class, moving away from numbers and towards what matters most - the patient's experience.

"On MRSA, infections have been reduced by 65% since 2003. I have asked the National Quality board to help develop a new minimum standard that will ensure all hospitals drive down MRSA bloodstream infections to the levels currently being achieved by the best performers - making the NHS even safer for staff and patients. I want this to be fairer - taking into account local differences - based on clear evidence and developed together with NHS staff and stakeholders.

"Reducing infections makes sense not just for patients, but for the NHS's finances too. Cutting cases of MRSA and C. difficile not only saves many lives, it also saved the NHS at least £75 million last year."

The Health Secretary also announced that from 2010-11 the top performing NHS Primary Care Trusts will be rewarded with greater freedom and flexibility to enable them to deliver more improvements, more quickly to their local communities.

This elite group of PCTs who have made the most significant impact in improving the quality of healthcare in their local communities, ensuring patients get the best possible treatment and leading the way on preventing disease - for example quitting smoking services - will benefit from greater control over how they operate.

Mr Burnham added:

"Innovation, efficiency, productivity and prevention are what should drive the next stage in creating a people-centred NHS. The best primary care trusts are ably demonstrating that they can respond to the health needs of the people they serve - in particular, tackling the causes of ill health as well as treating it.

"In line with Lord Darzi's Next Stage Review, I want these top performers to have even further powers, with greater freedoms and more scope to innovate - for instance being able to set longer term plans and preferential access to the new Innovation Fund.

"We cannot underestimate the importance of preventing disease. It is estimated that if PCTs improve their performance on key health outcomes such as smoking, alcohol, cardio vascular disease mortality, diabetes and stroke over the next five years this could result in a 10-15% reduction in health inequalities."