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Annex 3 Department of Health Public Service Agreement

Aim

A3.1 To transform the health and social care system so that it produces faster, fairer services that deliver better health and tackles health inequalities.

Objectives and performance targets

Objective I: improving health outcomes for everyone

Objective I: improving health outcomes for everyone

A3.2 Reduce substantially the mortality rates from major killers by 2010: from heart disease by at least 40% in people under 75; from cancer by at least 20% in people under 75; and from suicide and undetermined injury by at least 20%. Key to the delivery of this target will be implementing the National Service Frameworks for coronary heart disease and mental health and the National Cancer Plan.

A3.3 Our objective is to narrow the health gap in childhood and throughout life between socio-economic groups and between the most deprived areas and the rest of the country. Specific national targets will be developed in consultation with external stakeholders and experts early in 2001.

Objective II: improving patient and carer experience of the NHS and social services

Objective II: improving patient and carer experience of the NHS and social services

A3.4 Patients will receive treatment at a time that suits them in accordance with their clinical need: two thirds of all outpatient appointments and inpatient elective admissions will be pre-booked by 2003/04 on the way to 100% pre-booking by 2005.

A3.5 Reduce the maximum wait for an outpatient appointment to 3 months and the maximum wait for inpatient treatment to 6 months by the end of 2005.

A3.6 To secure year-on-year improvements in patient satisfaction, including standards of cleanliness and food, as measured by independently audited local surveys.

Objective III: effective delivery of appropriate care

Objective III: effective delivery of appropriate care

A3.7 Provide high quality pre-admission and rehabilitation care to older people to help them live as independently as possible by reducing preventable hospitalisation and ensuring year-on-year reductions in delays in moving people over 75 on from hospital. We expect at least 130,000 people to benefit and we shall monitor progress in the Performance Assessment Framework.

A3.8 Improve the life chances for children in care by:

  • improving the level of education, training and employment outcomes for care leavers aged 19, so that levels for this group are at least 75% of those achieved by all young people in the same area by March 2004
  • improving the educational attainment of children and young people in care by increasing from 6% in 1998 to 15% in 2004 the proportion of children leaving care aged 16 and over with 5 GCSEs at grade A*C.
  • giving them the care and guidance needed to narrow the gap by 2004 between the proportion of children in care who are cautioned
  • maximising the contribution adoption can make to providing permanent families for children; a specific target will be set in the light of the Prime Ministers review of adoption services.

A3.9 Increase the participation of problem drug users in drug treatment programmes by 55% by 2004 and by 100% by 2008.

Objective IV: fair access

Objective IV: fair access

A 3.10 Guaranteed access to a primary care professional within 24 hours and to a primary care doctor within 48 hours by 2004.

Objective V: value for money

Objective V: value for money

A 3.11 The cost of care commissioned from trusts which perform well against indicators of fair access, quality and responsiveness, will become the benchmark for the NHS. Everyone will be expected to reach the level of the best over the next 5 years, with agreed milestones for 2003/04.

Statement of accountability

A 3.11 The Secretary of State for Health is accountable for the delivery of the targets set out in this Public Service Agreement.

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