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News story HEALTH SECRETARY THANKS NHS STAFF AND SETS OUT AMBITION FOR CLINICALLY-LED NHS Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has thanked NHS staff for their work over the last year and

reassured them the Health and Social Care Act 'explicitly supports the core principles of the NHS'. This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat

coalition government These are: care provided free at the point of use, funded from general taxation, and based on need, not ability to pay. He also says at the heart of the Act are two

simple principles: that patients should share in every decision about their care and that those responsible for patient care should have the ‘freedom and powers to lead an NHS that delivers

continually improving care’. In a letter to NHS staff, Mr Lansley says: > The Health and Social Care Act will, in reality, empower NHS > clinicians to determine the type of health 

services needed in their > local area, using their clinical expertise and their knowledge to > ensure NHS services meet the needs of patients. > My ambition is for a clinically-led 

NHS that delivers the best > possible care for patients. Politicians should not be able to tell > clinicians how to do their jobs. I hope you and your colleagues in > the NHS will 

take advantage of the new freedoms the Act has put in > place.’ See full letter from Health Secretary to NHS staff SHARE THIS PAGE The following links open in a new tab * Share on

Facebook (opens in new tab) * Share on Twitter (opens in new tab) UPDATES TO THIS PAGE Published 29 March 2012