Next week, the Government will launch the engagement process for
its 10 year health plan, where patients and NHS staff across the
country will be invited to share their experiences and ideas to
shape this plan.
The 10 year health plan will include new Neighbourhood health
centres, establish a single patient medical record, and look at
how we can support more patients to monitor their health from the
comfort of their own home.
The plan will set out three big shifts in how the NHS delivers
healthcare, as part of the biggest reimagining of the NHS since
its creation, and detail how they will be achieved:
- From hospital to community
- Analogue to digital
- And sickness to prevention
An independent investigation conducted by Lord Darzi confirmed
the NHS is in a critical condition, and the engagement process is
the next steps in our plans to reform the health and care system.
The 10 year health plan is a central part of the government's
Health Mission which will build an NHS fit for the future and
shorten the amount of time people spend in-ill health. By setting
out the three big shifts ahead of the engagement process we are
helping to guide the important and helpful insight we expect to
hear from patients and staff.
, Health and Social Care Secretary, said:
“If we want to save the things we love about the NHS, then we
have to change it.
“Our 10 year health plan will turn the NHS on its head –
transforming it into a Neighbourhood Health Service - powered by
cutting-edge technology, that helps us stay healthy and out of
hospital. We will rebuild the health service around what patients
tell us they need.
“The challenges for the NHS are stark, but the opportunities
are huge. Modern technology will transform how patients are cared
for, making their lives infinitely easier and the NHS fit for the
future.
“At the same time, we will protect what patients want from
the NHS- the family doctor relationship, free healthcare at the
point of need, and shorter waits for appointments. Our 10 year
health plan will preserve the NHS's traditional values in a
modern setting.
“It's going to take time, but it is our mission to take the
NHS from the worst crisis in its history, get it back on its
feet, and make it fit for the
future.”
The plan will include plans for new neighbourhood health centres,
based closer to people's homes. Patients will be able to see
family doctors, district nurses, care workers, physiotherapists,
health visitors, or mental health specialists, all under the same
roof.
For patients with multiple conditions, it will stop them having
to go from pillar to post. They will also be able to get treated
for minor injuries like cuts and sprains, or have a scan, all
without having to wait for hours in overstretched hospitals.
The NHS will also bring together a single patient record,
summarising patient health information, test results, and letters
in one place, through the NHS App. It will put patients in
control of their own medical history, meaning they don't have to
repeat it at every appointment, and that staff have the full
picture of patients' health.
The 10 year health plan will explore the opportunities smart
watches and other wearable tech may offer patients with diabetes
or high blood pressure, so they can monitor their own health from
the comfort of their own home.
Today, Type 2 diabetes patients have to go to hospital or the GP
once a month on average. Wearable technology can help monitor
glucose levels and blood pressure, showing the results through
patients' smartphones and alerting them to spikes.
The 10 year health plan will look at the options for expanding
access to this technology giving more patients' peace of
mind and freeing up GP appointments for others.
