Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
The health secretary "would not be doing his job" if he did not ring hospital bosses who miss A&E targets, the Department of Health has said.
It comes after David Prior, chairman of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), told the Daily Telegraph it was "crazy" for Jeremy Hunt to take that action.
Mr Prior also branded targets "hugely distortive" but Mr Hunt's spokesman said patients needed guarantees.
Labour defended the use of targets, brought in while it was in power.
Shadow health minister Jamie Reed said the targets had cut waiting lists and increased patient satisfaction.
But Dr Richard Vautry, deputy chairman of the BMA's GP committee, said targets set nationally did not help to improve morale among health service workers, "and can sometimes hinder the ability to improve our services".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25476090
It comes after David Prior, chairman of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), told the Daily Telegraph it was "crazy" for Jeremy Hunt to take that action.
Mr Prior also branded targets "hugely distortive" but Mr Hunt's spokesman said patients needed guarantees.
Labour defended the use of targets, brought in while it was in power.
Shadow health minister Jamie Reed said the targets had cut waiting lists and increased patient satisfaction.
But Dr Richard Vautry, deputy chairman of the BMA's GP committee, said targets set nationally did not help to improve morale among health service workers, "and can sometimes hinder the ability to improve our services".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25476090