1.8 QIPP is the umbrella term used to describe the approach the NHS is taking at local, regional and national levels to reform its operations and design services in the light of the economic climate. By assessing reforms against four components - quality, innovation, productivity and prevention - the work aims to ensure that the NHS can provide better quality services in a more productive and cost-effective way, making use of the potential for innovation and targeted investment in prevention.
1.9 The Department believes that the characteristics of a sustainable NHS are care closer to home, earlier intervention, fewer acute beds, more standardisation by reducing unwarranted variation, empowered patients and reduced unit costs. The QIPP support programme builds on a number of issues such as:
● at present there remain unjustifiable variations in quality of care and health, and in the use of health services, with many opportunities to improve quality by raising services to the level of the best and identify ways to do things better;
● in many instances, improving quality can also reduce costs, for example, reducing rates of infection and self-management of non-communicable disease such as heart disease, stroke and cancer;
● the NHS is better at responding to ill health when it becomes a serious problem rather than spotting problems earlier and dealing with them before they get serious and expensive;
● there are many examples where the NHS could improve (for example, by avoiding duplication of treatment or diagnostic processes, reducing levels of temporary staff usage, and achieving higher day case rates7) or secure better value in procurement8; and
● the QIPP challenge is to maximise efficiency and quality, while minimising any reductions to services. It is organised at three different levels: national (Part Two), and regional and local levels (Part Three). Initiatives at all levels are intended to be mutually reinforcing.
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7 For example, Comptroller and Auditor General, Delivering the Cancer Reform Strategy, Session 2010-11, HC 568, National Audit Office, November 2010.
8 For example, Comptroller and Auditor General, The procurement of consumables by NHS acute and foundation trusts, Session 2010-11, HC 705, National Audit Office, February 2011.