The government is launching a significant national initiative to gather input from the public, NHS staff, and healthcare experts to guide the future of the NHS. This effort aims to encourage everyone, whether they are patients, workers, or professionals, to share their experiences and suggestions for improving the health service. A new platform, Change NHS, is now live, allowing individuals to contribute their views until early next year. The goal is to shape a 10 Year Health Plan that will address the current challenges the NHS faces and help it meet future needs.
This engagement exercise will support the creation of a comprehensive health plan, set to be published in spring 2025. The plan will focus on three key areas of improvement: moving healthcare from hospitals to local communities, transitioning from outdated analogue systems to digital solutions, and shifting from treatment to prevention. For the first objective, the government plans to establish neighbourhood health centres, offering patients access to various medical professionals in one location, close to their homes. This approach aims to make healthcare more accessible and convenient for individuals.
On the digital front, a unified patient record system will be implemented, consolidating health information, test results, and medical correspondence into one place accessible via the NHS App. This will give patients more control over their health data and allow healthcare providers to access the full medical history, streamlining care and reducing the need for repeated tests. Additionally, legislation will be introduced to ensure that patient records can be shared seamlessly across NHS services, which is expected to save staff time and improve patient outcomes.
The third focus area involves promoting preventative healthcare to reduce the time people spend in ill health. Wearable technology, such as smartwatches, will be explored to help patients manage chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure from home, improving their quality of life while relieving pressure on the health system.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasised the personal connection he and his family have with the NHS and expressed a commitment to addressing the system’s long-standing issues. He noted the importance of hearing from those who depend on the NHS daily to shape a better healthcare system for the future. Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed this sentiment, drawing from his own experience as a cancer survivor, and called for a collective effort to fix the NHS, which he described as broken but not beyond repair.
In addition to hearing from the public, NHS staff will also play a crucial role in shaping the reforms. Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of NHS England, highlighted the immense pressures facing healthcare workers, with increasing demand for services and ageing infrastructure. She stressed the need for innovation and adaptation to ensure that the NHS can continue to meet the needs of the population.
The 10 Year Health Plan represents an opportunity to implement best practices across the health service, ensuring that frontline staff and patients alike have a voice in its development. The government is already taking steps to address current challenges, including reaching agreements with doctors, increasing GP funding, and hiring additional staff.
Healthcare experts and organisations have welcomed the initiative, recognising it as a crucial moment for the NHS. Figures like Lord Ara Darzi and leaders from various health bodies such as the Patients Association, Healthwatch England, and NHS Providers have all expressed support for the engagement process, stressing the importance of listening to diverse perspectives. Charities and organisations representing patients, unpaid carers, and specific health conditions also see this initiative as a positive step towards a more inclusive and effective NHS.
One Health Group PLC (AQSE:OHGR) are a team of Consultant Surgeons and Healthcare managers working with the NHS to provide faster, local and expert care in Orthopaedics, Spinal, General Surgery and Gynaecology.
