More than three quarters (77%) of UK NHS interim managers say the government’s proposed NHS efficiency savings will have a significant negative impact on frontline service delivery, according to a report from provider of interim management solutions Interim Partners.

Earlier this week, health secretary Andrew Lansley presented draft legislation of ‘The Health and Social Care Bill’, which paves the way for GPs to take control of most of the NHS budget from 2013.

The survey also indicates interims are sceptical as to whether government plans to remove the cap on income from the private sector will cut the cost of the NHS to the taxpayer, with 64% of respondents claiming it will not.

However, more than three quarters (77%) of interim managers think the plans to open up the provision of NHS services to more private sector providers will improve service delivery.

Steve Melber, senior consultant in healthcare at Interim Partners, says: “Interims are experts in stripping out waste. Their concern is that the NHS simply cannot find this level of savings in this timeframe, with major reforms being made at the same time.

“Interims know that the NHS can be more efficient, but they doubt whether sustainable savings can be delivered during the period of huge organisational restructuring signalled by the Lansley reforms.”