New chief admits NHS must offer better value

THE new chief executive of NHS England says the service has “maxed out” on what is affordable so needs to deliver better value for money.

- By Hanna Geissler Health Editor

Sir Jim Mackey also said he was concerned over staff being “desensitised” to poor care as he singled out elderly patients.

He said: “Ten years ago we would have never accepted old ladies being on corridors next to an [emergency] department for hours on end, and they have become normal in the NHS.

“We've got to get ourselves out of that - and everybody wants to get out of it.” Even in places “delivering excellence” there are “still things going on there that are completely unacceptable”, he said.