NHS boss defends job after critical remarks by MPs
Amanda Pritchard appeared before MPs in January.
NHS boss Amanda Pritchard has admitted that “we’re not all brilliant performers at committee hearings” as she was asked about critical comments about her made by MPs.
The chairwoman of the Health and Social Care committee, Layla Moran, said that MPs were left “disappointed” after Ms Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, and other senior health officials gave evidence in January.
Ms Pritchard appeared before the committee after a damning report concluded that NHS and Department of Health officials are complacent and “out of ideas” when it comes to transforming the health service for patients.
She was challenged about the report during an evidence session in Parliament but after the meeting, MPs on the committee expressed “frustration” over “lengthy and diffuse answers”.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Thursday, Ms Pritchard was asked whether she was the right person to lead the health service.
Ms Pritchard said: “We are far from complacent. I mean, particularly they were talking to us about productivity, and spending public money wisely is an absolute priority for us.
“So we’ve seen productivity improve last year, this year we’ve got much more to do on that.
“Equally, I think I’ll be honest enough to say we’re not all brilliant performers at committee hearings, but it’s absolutely right that we are scrutinised by Parliament.
“We welcome that scrutiny, and I welcome the opportunity to be able to keep talking to committees and others about the work we are doing, and staff are doing now, to keep trying to make things better.
“So you talked about waiting times, we’ve seen a reduction in longest waits really significantly over the last couple of years – after Covid people were waiting two years for care, now we’ve reduced the number of people waiting a year by over 50%.
“We have got loads further to go, and we’re really committed to getting to that 18 week target by the end of this Parliament.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s “plan for change” pledges that by July 2029, 92% of patients will be seen within 18 weeks for routine hospital treatment such as hip and knee replacements.
