NHS bosses and campaigners have rubbished government plans to name and shame failing hospitals and sack managers if they cannot improve patient care and take control of finances.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is set to tell leaders at an NHS Providers conference in Liverpool today that there “will be no more rewards for failure” as he sets out a package of measures aimed at tackling poor performance.

The Department of Health said that NHS trusts’ performance in areas such as finances, delivery of services, patient access to care and leadership competency would be ranked in league tables, with the top performers given more of the cash from running budget surpluses.

Mr Streeting has already announced that failing NHS managers will be denied pay rises if they do not improve patient care or get their finances in order.

A new pay framework for very senior managers will be published before April next year.

NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery called for “decisive action to tackle the deep-rooted causes of pressures on the health services.”

These include a lack of resources for public health, prevention and social care, chronic workforce shortages, financial shortfalls and historic underinvestment in the bricks and mortar of the NHS.

“Trust leaders are highly accountable, subject to rigorous standards and stand ready to tackle the challenges ahead, as they have always been,” she added. 

“League tables bring with them significant risk of unintended consequences.”

Keep Our NHS Public co-chairman Dr John Puntis said: “Rather than blaming and threatening NHS managers and banning essential agency staff, [the government] should remember that New Labour improved services by significant investment in staff and facilities.

“There should be no talk of imagined ‘runaway spending’ but recognition that Labour will not be rewarded with another term of office if it fails to deliver on its promises to restore the NHS for patients.”