Competition, integration and incentives: The quest for efficiency in the English NHS

Book excerpt: The Government's NHS reforms pave the way for more competition and a more locally managed health service. They also take place at a time when the NHS in England is faced with saving an estimated £15 to £20 billion by 2015. Achieving savings of this level will require a radical overhaul of how services are designed and delivered. Critical to this is creating the right incentives for the NHS to develop, in ways that promote creativity and innovation.