Does the NHS need management consultants?

As NHS management expenditure tightens, management consultancy costs are in the spotlight. The NHS is big business for the consultancy industry. We spend hundreds of millions of pounds a year on consultancy services. Over the next period, we need to ensure that as section 3.55 of the NHS Operating Framework 2010/11 states, external consultancy is “used only when there are no other options” and that every pound invested in consultancy support delivers a significant return. However, this doesn’t mean the demise of the consultancy industry in the NHS. In fact I believe that management consultants can play an even more effective role and help us get better, faster results. HSJ. http://tinyurl.com/yhadg3e