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British Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting called for three key changes to the way the NHS works to ensure its long-term sustainability.
In his speech at the Weekend Festival der Financial Times Speaking in London on Saturday, Streeting stressed the importance of moving medical care out of hospitals and into communities, moving from analogue to digital healthcare, and shifting the focus from treating disease to preventing it.
According to Streeting, these changes are not only essential for the future of the NHS, but of existential importance.
“We need to bring the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS,” he said, explaining that while there was collaboration between the NHS and the life sciences sector, it was limited to “exceptional cases”.
Shifting care from hospitals to communities
One of the biggest challenges facing the NHS is the enormous strain on hospitals.
Streeting stressed that the current hospital-centric model must change and called for more primary care and community-based services to ease pressure on overstretched hospitals.
By moving care closer to where people live, the NHS can not only improve access to treatment, but also help delay or even prevent serious health problems later in life.
This change is crucial because while people are living longer, they are not necessarily living healthier lives. Streeting noted that earlier diagnosis and faster treatment could significantly improve long-term health outcomes.
“We need to modernise the NHS to diagnose earlier and treat faster,” he added, saying the change could push diseases and comorbidities “later into retirement” and thereby improve quality of life in later years.
Emphasis on prevention before treatment
Streeting’s second policy shift focuses on prevention. He calls for the NHS to move from a system that primarily treats disease to one that focuses on preventing disease before it occurs.
This would not only reduce pressure on secondary care but also lead to longer and healthier lives.
A start to the year in the journal „The Lancet Health Longevity“ published report highlighted the potential benefits of such an approach.
By reducing dementia risk factors such as vision loss and high cholesterol, over 70,000 “quality-adjusted life years” could be gained in England alone over the next 20 years.
Streeting argued that prevention must be at the heart of NHS strategy, explaining that more proactive health measures would help curb rising rates of chronic disease while improving overall public health.
The digital transformation of healthcare
The third change that Streeting highlighted was the need for the NHS to adopt digital healthcare solutions, which he said would transform patient care.
The transition from “analogue to digital,” as Streeting put it, involves the introduction of new technologies to improve diagnostics, treatment and communication in all healthcare settings.
The Health Secretary acknowledged that the NHS was already working with the life sciences and technology sectors to implement some innovative solutions, but stressed that this collaboration needed to be expanded even further.
He stressed that there was a need for a “catalyst for groundbreaking science” in the UK, with the NHS playing a central role.
Streeting pledged to work with Peter Kyle, the UK’s Minister for Science and Technology, to remove institutional barriers that could stand in the way of the adoption of digital health technologies. The ultimate goal is to make the UK’s NHS a pioneer in global healthcare innovation.
Addressing the challenges in social care and staffing
In addition to outlining the three key changes, Streeting acknowledged the ongoing problems in social care in the UK.
The NHS is currently facing a number of challenges, including long waiting lists for routine treatment and a wave of industrial action that has resulted in over 1.5 million appointments being cancelled.
The health service is also struggling with an ageing population and widespread staff shortages: by March 2023, there will be over 100,000 vacancies in secondary care.
Streeting reiterated that social care must be a key component of the NHS recovery, saying: “Good social care is necessary to achieve the recovery we want to see in the NHS.”
Yet social care was conspicuously absent from most of the debates surrounding the recent general election, even though millions of people in the UK rely on care services.
Responding to concerns about delays in the implementation of Labour’s social policy, Streeting appealed for patience. While acknowledging that immediate action was needed, he stressed the importance of addressing long-term challenges.
Public spending and social welfare in balance
One of the more controversial decisions of the current government is the lifting of the planned cap on care costs – a policy that was adopted by the Conservative government.
While Streeting acknowledged that social care funding needed to be addressed, he defended Labour’s decision to focus on more pressing priorities first.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for the move, with some arguing that it fails to take account of the growing social care crisis in the country.
Nevertheless, Streeting reiterated that Labour continued to place great emphasis on social care and that action would be taken in due course.
Streeting’s proposals reflect an understanding that the NHS is at a critical point.
Given the increasing demand for healthcare services, an ageing population and ongoing financial pressures, the healthcare system must undergo profound transformation if it is to remain sustainable.
