Barclay outlines tech funding and changes to NHS consultation

New funding to invest in technology, changes to the NHS constitution and more medical school places were all unveiled by the health secretary today at the annual Conservative Party conference.

Steve Barclay used his conference speech to outline new measures that the current Conservative government was looking to implement “to give patients more control and choice”.

Proposals to change the NHS constitution that would potentially lead to transgender people being banned from single-sex hospital wards drew most of the media headlines.

However, some health leaders have criticised Mr Barclay’s speech, branding the proposals “nonsense” and warning that he did not address the nurse vacancy issue “head on”.

One measure unveiled at the conference, being held in Manchester this week, was that patients across England would benefit from a new £30m government investment in innovative medical technology.

“Patients and their families will see straight through this nonsense”

Sara Gorton

Under the plans, integrated care services (ICSs) will be able to submit bids to the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to access the funds to roll out the latest technology that they need to cut waiting lists and speed up diagnosis.

Mr Barclay said: “I am announcing the creation of a new £30m fund to speed up the adoption of tech in the NHS.

“This will enable clinicians to adopt proven technology that can improve patient care,” he said during his speech.

“And these could include new tools to detect cancer sooner, to help people receive treatments in their own home or increase productivity to tackle wait lists.”

Applications for the funding are expected to open later this month, with projects being delivered some time during this financial year.

“We’re focused on getting the very latest technology into the hands of doctors and nurses so they can benefit you when you need it,” said Mr Barclay.

Separately, the health secretary told attendees that the government was already delivering on the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, as he unveiled 205 additional medical school places starting in 2024.

Mr Barclay said: “Most of these places will be targeted towards three new medical schools at the universities of Worcester, Chester and Brunel with further places for two universities here in the North West – University of Central Lancashire and Edgehill [University].

“This is alongside our new pilot for medical degree apprenticeships a new route into medicine for young people yearning to train to become a doctor, but who want to take a vocational route.”

It comes as the NHS workforce plan has committed to doubling medical school places and increasing adult nursing training by 92% by 2031-32.

However, there was no mention in Mr Barclay’s speech of what was being done to boost nursing training numbers.

Meanwhile, the health secretary also promised to consult on proposed updates to the NHS constitution, which are expected to lead to the banning of transgender patients from single-sex wards.

In addition, he said he had already ordered a reversal of what he described as “unacceptable changes” to the NHS website, which had removed references to women for conditions such as cervical cancer, as well as stopping the NHS from “ordering staff to declare pronouns”.

Mr Barclay said changes to the consultation would “respect the privacy dignity and safety of all patients” and “recognise the importance of different biological needs and protect the rights of women”.

“I know as Conservatives, we know what a woman is and I know the vast majority of hardworking NHS staff and patients do too,” he said.

The proposed changes are set to be brought forward later this year, ahead of the next routine update to the NHS constitution and its handbook in the summer of 2024.

Responding to the speech, the Royal College of Nursing’s chief nurse, Professor Nicola Ranger, said the health secretary should not “play politics and court controversy at the expense of people’s health and good care”, including plans that could “actively deter trans individuals from accessing services”.

She said: “The single factor that has the greatest impact on the quality of your care and your experience as a patient is the number of staff on duty.

“But things are heading in the wrong direction, despite an ambitious plan, and today’s speech did not address the nurse vacancy issue head-on.”

Similarly, Unison head of health, Sara Gorton, said the speech was “deflection politics at its very worst”.

She said: “The NHS is having to deal with countless challenges, all of which are of great public concern: endlessly growing waiting lists, lengthening ambulance delays, worsening industrial relations and a social care system so hopelessly adrift it risks bringing the NHS down with it.

“This is what should be keeping the health secretary awake at night,” she said. “These are the problems the government could and should be acting on – not trying to bar trans women from female-only wards.”

“Patients and their families will see straight through this nonsense,” said Ms Gorton.

Meanwhile, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Sir Julian Hartley, welcomed some of the proposals, but said any changes to the constitution should have “improving inclusivity at the heart of what they do and be subject to wide conversations and consultation”.

He said: “An NHS fit for the future needs the right investment in capital and day-to-day running costs to boost productivity and improve the safety and experiences of patients and staff.

“Improving the health of the nation is vital too and should be a cross-government duty with every department understanding its part in the wider factors affecting people’s health.”

Sir Julian said it was concerning that, given the strikes today by consultants, junior doctors and radiographers, that Mr Barclay’s speech “did not focus on a strategy to end these disruptive walkouts”.