Slimming down the Department of Health is necessary but alone is not sufficient to tackle the culture of NHS targets and tickboxes, the Liberal Democrats said today in response to Health Secretary John Reid's announcement that half of NHS quangos will be abolished or combined.
Paul Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, said:
"Slimming down the Department of Health is necessary but alone is not sufficient to tackle the culture of NHS targets and tickboxes. There also needs to be a bonfire of red tape.
"It's high time that the NHS became more accountable at a local level. Such a change would make the NHS more responsive and would bring healthcare closer to home."
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