Focus on strengths in climate of change, independents told

Independent practitioners this week heard from the horse's mouth what it is like to opt out of the NHS en masse.

In his hard-hitting key-note address, 'what do you mean, you've gone private?' Ian Wylie, chief executive of the British Dental Association, told delegates at Monday's Sight Care conference of the publicity backlash his members have faced from reducing their NHS involvement.

He warned the opticians at the one-day business conference that in his own profession those practitioners who in future failed to capitalise on their strengths of being trusted and responsive family businesses could 'wither' away in the healthcare environment. 

He predicted that the radical reforms New Labour had initiated in the NHS would continue apace if the party won a third term.

He said further reform could eventually mean the NHS would be left with the role of simply commissioning and quality-assuring healthcare, after boundaries between the private and public sectors 'become merged and then almost invisible'.

'The idea that you are private and supply the NHS - or you are private and do not supply the NHS - or you are an NHS professional wholly working for the NHS is simply going to be irrelevant in future,' he said.

Wylie commented that the Government had adopted a 'what matters is what works' principle to determine what was best for the health service, and believed it was this conclusion which had led to the end of the 1948 socialist model of the NHS.

'It is the last great bastion of collective nationalised industry [which is now] heading towards completely different way of defining itself in relationship to the public.'

He said a key part of this was the 'Choices agenda', and reforms were being driven 'harder than ever before' by the secretary of state John Reid.

'And there are real rows going on interestingly enough within the NHS itself about the fact the health service will be obliged to commission from the private sector. The chief executives in the NHS, not known for their rebellious nature, are up in arms about this, believing it is unfair competition and highly inefficient. I argue that is not the point.'

Paul Surridge, chief executive of Sight Care, told delegates little had changed since 1997 'in terms of the challenges placed upon you and your practices to perform successfully in an ever changing market.

'It is still about differentiation, it is still about excellence in patient care, it is still about making a profit to invest.'

And speaking to delegates in front of a blow-up picture of the 'Magnifying glasses' Daily Mail article, which represented the latest media attack on the profession, he said: 'There will always be challenges and those who try to challenge the status quo. But despite their efforts a strong and growing independent sector can be a reality if we come together in force in a spirit of mutual strength.'

John White, consultant for the Leadership Trust, gave a well received address on the importance of management, and the ability to lead staff.A site for four eyes