Pledge for radical reform of patient care

Patients will today be promised an NHS fit for the 21st century with faster and more effective care than ever.

Health Secretary John Reid will today pledge to step up the battle to transform the service with radical reforms to the way patients are treated.

In a keynote speech, he will highlight a flagship new pledge to cut maximum waiting times from patients seeing their doctor to undergoing hospital treatment to 18 weeks by 2008. He will also promise to reshape the NHS to suit the needs and aspirations of patients. He is expected to focus on the huge strides already made in improving patient care, pointing to falling death rates from cancer and heart disease, increases in preventative drugs prescribed and a rise in the numbers of doctors and nurses.

Dr Reid is expected to tell delegates that Labour should be proud of this record and that the campaign to improve the NHS is now ready to enter a new stage.