Wes Streeting said that the NHS must make three “big changes” to its delivery of care in order to have a sustainable future.
The UK Health and Social Care Secretary said that the new government will prioritise moving NHS treatments “from hospitals to communities”, “analogues to digitals” and “sickness prevention”.
Three shifts are “absolutely necessary and existential”. . . Streeting added.
He said that the collaboration between the life sciences and health services sector only occurs “in exceptional situations”.
People are “living longer, but not. . . Not living well longer” and that the NHS should modernise, “diagnose sooner and treat quicker”.
Primary care and prevention would ease the pressure on hospitals that are already overstretched and “push co-morbidities and ill health”. . . He said, “I will retire later”.
The Lancet Health Longevity Journal published an analysis this year that suggested, using England as a case study, that more than 70,000 additional “quality-adjusted-life-years” (QALYs) could be achieved over 20 years by reducing risk factors for dementia such as high cholesterol and vision loss.
There are long waiting lists in England for routine health care. This is exacerbated by the cancellations of 1.5mn operations and appointments due to strike action and an aging population.
According to the British Medical Association (the main medical union), there were 100.658 vacancies in secondary care as of March.
Streeting said, echoing his first official statement, that the NHS was “broken, but not beaten”. He argued “good social care” is necessary to achieve the “recovery we want to see”.
The general election campaign barely touched on social care, despite millions of people being affected by England’s deteriorating provision for the elderly.
Sir Keir starmer, the Prime Minister of England, inherited Conservative plans to cap how much individuals pay towards their care costs. However, England’s biggest councils warned in July that the funding for these proposals would be a “black hole” of £30bn. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, announced at the end of the month that the plan would not be implemented. This would save £1bn in 2025-2026.
Streeting stated that “action is needed on social care now”, but also noted the need to address longer-term issues, such as more complex needs for care and an aging population.
He said, “Give us some time,” when he was asked to give the Labour government more time to implement their policies.
Streeting said that he would “bulldoze” through the issue with Peter Kyle, Science and Technology Secretary. . . The NHS must remove “institutional barriers” to become a “catalyst for groundbreaking, great science done here in Britain”.
Streeting, when asked about Reeves’ decision to reduce winter fuel payment for better-off retirees, said: “we have to find the right balance.” . . Invest in our public services, without having to always reach for the lever of taxation”.
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