MIAA’s Post

Today Reform Think Tank have published the first of several papers in our 'Reimagining Health' workstream, which seeks to promote radical reform of the health and care system. As covered in The Times today, our paper proposes devolving the vast majority of NHS budgets to regional mayors, and as a result, abolishing NHS England. The English health system is an international outlier in its centralisation, tightly managed from the centre despite rhetoric that stresses devolution. All the while, different demographic profiles, types of morbidity and health behaviours lead to highly divergent requirements for health services across the country. We therefore propose pooling and devolving the NHS budget to democratically elected regional governments, also allowing them to spend the budget on 'non-NHS' areas - such as housing, air quality or green spaces - where these improve overall population health. And thanks to my predecessor Sebastian Rees who contributed so much to this report! Read the summary in The Times here: https://lnkd.in/gs_aDHrP And the report here: https://lnkd.in/ewia-whz

Title: "The Role of Community Health Workers in Improving Healthcare Access" Source: World Health Organization (WHO) Summary: This article examines the role of community health workers (CHWs) in improving healthcare access, particularly in underserved communities. It discusses the training, responsibilities, and impact of CHWs on healthcare delivery and outcomes.

The general election has been called, and Labour have pledged to restore the ’18 weeks’ waiting time target within five years, by funding an additional 40,000 appointments, diagnostic tests and operations per week. Is this feasible? Writing in the Health Service Journal, our resident waiting times specialist Rob Findlay has done an independent analysis. Taken on their own terms, he concludes that Labour’s pledges do add up. The activity should be deliverable, and should clear enough of the waiting list to make the target achievable again. But there is a risk that pressures elsewhere in the NHS could get in the way. It will take a concerted effort to make sure that the extra capacity is deployed exactly where it is needed to reduce waiting times. In short, the extra activity will need to be accurately planned at system and local level... and Insource Ltd has the advanced capabilities that this complex task requires. Get in touch if you would like to get ahead of the game, by planning your extra activity exactly where it is most needed. https://lnkd.in/ejP99zNN Nadine Carey-Whitehead Graham Bennett Rob Davenport Tim Eltze Karen Hyde Greg Stevens Paige Elizabeth Hyde Adrian Owen Rachel Lane Donna Smith https://lnkd.in/dqDEVFEG

Commissioning reviews at the start of a new term is a battle-tested way of setting expectations and shaping the political message. Reviews can also mobilise leaders around a new set of priorities, provided they’re sufficiently clear and express meaningful choices. We should also learn from outside the NHS; we are usually far too insular and myopic. For example, this week I read the Thai health system is stunningly effective. For 6% of GDP, its citizens live longer than in the UK and virtually everyone has access to care. This seems to be down to a preventative focus, often delivered by community health workers, and a meaningful capitation model of financing, amongst other factors. What elements could be adapted to the NHS?

Keynote Lecture: Current State of NHS: The Way Forward – Prof Stephen Powis, National Medical Director NHS England at National BAPIO conference Key insights into the challenges and how the public policy is changing Stocktake on Darzi report as a reference point to where the NHS needs to improve We must as leaders be relentless optimists in the face of increasing health needs, smaller productive population and health inequalities. A nod to health inequalities experienced by minorities Built on team working, valuing colleagues and those in training which was a nice touch We all have collective responsibility, grab the opportunities to improve patient care and a country which is healthier and has fewer health inequalities #wayforward #rebuild #optimism

ICYMI: Financing Alliance for Health explored the role of community health workers in achieving universal health coverage across Africa and innovative financing mechanisms that better support these leaders. Watch the webinar:

Quality should be taken care of as we focus to improve the quantity of the primary care access. Be it Number of Dispensaries Community health care or free health care services for all.

📢 Transforming health services: Our response to government priorities 📢 The new government has pledged to 'build an NHS fit for the future.' Delivering change and remaining informed on future advancements will be a significant priority as the NHS begins to fulfil the healthcare aims of the new government. A brief explaining how we can support the new priorities can be found here: https://lnkd.in/d7aX-8zp Unity Insights are hosting a series of free workshops based on the new government priorities our brief discusses, which will cover: ⬆️ Getting the NHS back on its feet 📲 Modernising the NHS 💪 Power to the patients 👩⚕️ Ensuring patient safety 🏠 Healthcare closer to home 💬 Social care reform 🧠 Improving mental health ⚖️ Reducing health inequalities ♻ Net zero Visit our Eventbrite page here to sign up: https://lnkd.in/dzAqATpP If you would like more information, or to hold a feasibility discussion, please use this link to book a 1:1 meeting: https://lnkd.in/d353VXwK Or reach out to enquiries@unityinsights.co.uk and a member of the team will be in touch. #healthcare #NHS #sustainability

An interesting read, especially from a rural perspective. The want and need for reform was found to be high in the regions. I know that expanded scope of practice is extremely important to rural pharmacists given the continual challenges people face accessing healthcare. Great to see that tailoring the next steps of action in rural/remote areas have been identified as a priority.

Well done to the New health secretary despite only being weeks into the job. Anyone involved in operating healthcare services across the UK will have known and probably experienced significant problems with CQC. At one time it was an organisation that listened but that was long ago. In my view, it is not fit for purpose and hasn’t been for some time. In fact, it has been responsible for pushing a number of services either to or over the brink. Providers have had no effective way of challenging some exceptionally poor decisions and judgements. I have said for a long time that the NHS is broken, that the main issue is not about how much money, it is more how the money is spent and rather than spending more on oversight, regulation and excessive management structures, far more emphasis needs to be placed on prevention, community services and organisational culture. Let’s hope the new government is prepared to listen.