Days before the release of the government’s 10-year health plan, the new head of NHS England has said too many “fossilised” ways of working have been retained by the health service.
In his first interview since his appointment as chief executive of NHSE, Sir Jim Mackey told the Daily Telegraph the NHS had built “mechanisms to keep the public away”.
“We’ve made it really hard, and we’ve probably all been on the end of it.
“You’ve got a relative in hospital, so you’re ringing a number on a ward that no-one ever answers.
“The ward clerk only works nine to five or they’re busy doing other stuff; the GP practice scramble every morning.
“It feels like we’ve built mechanisms to keep the public away because it’s an inconvenience,” he added.