<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" The NHS is facing its &amp;#039;greatest ever challenge&amp;#039; in the wake of cuts to the health service&amp;#039;s budget, managers have been told. The NHS Confederation, which represents 95 per cent of NHS organisations, said government promises to protect frontline services amid an overall funding squeeze would be difficult to keep. Nigel Edwards, the confederation&amp;#039;s acting chief executive and director of policy, unveiled a report at the group&amp;#039;s annual conference in Liverpool saying that there is &amp;#039;no silver bullet&amp;#039; to steer the health service through the coming cuts. The NHS has been told to make up to \u00A320 billion in cost savings over the next four years. &amp;#039;The NHS today is facing the greatest ever challenge to the way it works and the way it cares for patients - now is the time for everyone working in our health service to rise to the challenge of providing improvements in care while also working more efficiently,&amp;#039; Mr Edwards said on Wednesday. &amp;#039;An ageing population, changing lifestyles and the rising costs of healthcare are placing greater demands on services, which are themselves costing more and more to provide. &amp;#039;But there are reasons for optimism,&amp;#039; he continued. &amp;#039;There are some significant areas like redesign of care, improvements in long-term management and work to ensure patients get the right treatment first time, rather than having repeat visits with the same problem, which hold out the hope that we can do things better but for less.&amp;#039; Among the confederation&amp;#039;s proposals are moving care closer to home, improving management of long-term conditions, reducing variation in clinical practices and the possibility of strategic mergers. &amp;#039;Each of these areas offer great potential for savings, but the paper concludes that although releasing cashable savings is possible, very significant ambition and leadership is required, careful planning is necessary, and there must be a rigorous focus on evidence,&amp;#039; Mr Edwards added. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/news/a19711/budget-cuts-leave-nhs-facing-greatest-ever-challenge/>