Will There Finally Be a Reform of The NHS?

Will the new government finally make a reform of the NHS? We’re not going to go into the politics, but one of the points the new government was and has been most vocal about is reforming and restoring the NHS—what a task they have.

It’s no secret that the NHS is struggling with everything from budget to waiting times, but the new government has set aside £3 billion and created a 10-year plan to try and mend the ‘crumbling wards.’ And if you’ve spent any time in an NHS ward recently, you’ll know they really are crumbling.

Below, we’ll go into detail about whether reform is really (and finally) coming to the NHS.

Building Modern Infrastructure to Meet Future Demands

An integral part of the government’s NHS reform plan is infrastructure development.

The massive £3 billion fund from the government should fix infrastructure from the maintenance backlog of hospitals’ ageing establishments and ageing equipment. Everything from a simple surgical retractor to pressure mattresses to hospital walls needs modernising to meet future demands without crippling the cost of the NHS.

Apart from this, there is the global requirement of over £1 billion worth of funding set aside specifically to fix poorly built structures and provide a better building for the staff and the patients.

Considering the pressure inflicted by an ageing population and the future forecast for increasing health care needs, improvement in existing infrastructure is necessary for the sustenance of such a healthcare system.

The government intends to provide more social interventions that specifically look to engage their population as more clients.

Integrating Technology for a Digital Healthcare Revolution

Some of the money is allocated to improving the technology of the NHS, changing it from sub-par to more sophisticated approaches.

The emphasis is on preparing patients’ files on a computer and using better systems and modern technologies, which include artificial intelligence in diagnosis and robotics in surgery.

Such changes in the NHS’s technology aim to make its services more cost-effective and expand the level of its service so that the right care is offered to the patient when it is needed.

For example, these electronic systems would allow for the use of systems that allow doctors and other health workers to talk to each other over the phone and e-mail without having to tell the same story. The amount of time that system would save is incredible. If you’ve ever worked with patient systems, you’ll know they’re unbelievably outdated.

Shifting Focus from Treatment to Prevention

This reform strategy is conceived in such a way that there is a shift of focus on healthcare from “diagnosing and management of the sickness” to “early detection and management.” A similar approach is happening in the US.

It attempts to make it so that people don’t fall ill or at least don’t reach a level where care focused on them gets overwhelming. This shift would ease congestion at NHS service points and enable patients to engage in more activities. The role of community-based services will be crucial in this regard, as many diagnostic tests, treatments, and even minor interventions are expected to be performed in local health care facilities, pharmacies, or even at home.

It is worth noting that the centre of gravity of this reform does weaken the financial viability of the NHS. In place of smaller ailments, many minor ones have to be cared for within the community, making hospitals deal with severe complications, resulting in reduced waiting times and improved patient satisfaction.

The 10-Year Health Plan sees this scenario in which time-to-treatment becomes irrelevant as a matter of fact. The NHS works on health promotion and on treating the issues before there’s a need for assistance.

Do you think the NHS will have the reform it deserves? We hope so. The NHS is under more pressure than ever, not only financially. Change is essential! And there’s so much more we could have discussed that the government is promising as part of its 10-year reform plan.