News / ...as Masters spells out challenge for FTs

Sector regulator Monitor expects to see big changes in patterns of care in the NHS over the next five to 10 years, according to managing director of sector development Adrian Masters.

Mr Masters told May's FT Finance directors' forum that without these changes the NHS would struggle to continue to deliver high-quality services within budget.

'It is a big opportunity,' he said. ‘If we had 20 years to deliver, I'd be confident. But we've got to do this at speed – that's a necessary but difficult thing.'

He added that Monitor would provide more challenge to FTs’ plans. 'We need to be confident you are doing enough on long-run sustainability,’ he said. ‘We will increasingly expect to see changes in patterns of care reflected in FT plans.’

Mr Masters set out the regulator’s current thinking on its developing strategy for meeting its new duty to protect the interests of patients.

Monitor has four main roles in the new system: assessment; pricing; co-operation and competition; and provider regulation. Mr Masters said the regulator’s activities in each of these areas would look to support the improvement of current services, the adoption of better models of care and innovation in service delivery. Monitor was also keen to help develop the capability of local health systems, while establishing itself as a ‘credible and effective regulator’.

He said Monitor needed to be more aligned with the NHS and operate more on the basis of consensus. The aim was to be far more transparent and consultative, he added, citing early discussions and consultation on costing and pricing.