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Helping people stay well and greater use of tech to empower patients should be central to NHS plans , independent report says
A post-pandemic drive to help people stay well , greater use of technology to put power into the hands of patients and treating people closer to home , should be at the heart of NHS plans , an independent report has said .
The NHS Assembly , an independent advisory group established in 2019 , consulted staff , patient groups , carers , charities and partners in health and social care for the report launched ahead of the 75th anniversary of the health service on 5 July .
The Assembly ’ s analysis found that the NHS should now focus on three key areas : preventing poor health ; creating more personalised care , which better responds to patients ’ views ; and co-ordinated care closer to home , including by strengthening General Practice .
The creation of Integrated Care Systems ( ICSs ) allows the NHS to work with other bodies to find people at risk of conditions such as heart disease and tackle major causes of poor health , including obesity and smoking .
ICSs should also use new technology to help people manage their health so they can monitor their conditions , receive advice remotely through virtual wards and make appointments or change prescriptions via the NHS app .
In the report entitled , The NHS in England at 75 : priorities for the future , the Assembly says the health service faces significant workforce and estates challenges , but it should be ‘ emboldened by the resolve and agility it showed during the pandemic ’.
Co-authored by Professor Dame Clare Gerada and Professor Sir Chris Ham , the analysis notes the demands on the health service are far greater now than when the NHS was founded , with almost 3.5 million more people aged over 75 compared with 1948 .
The report summarises more than 700 responses from health organisations and patient groups , who reveal extensive support for the NHS being free at the point of delivery and note its success at landing deals which give patients access to the latest treatments at a fair price .
Download the report at bit . ly / 46o3YsK .
News in brief
Rough sleepers to benefit from NHS mental health support
Rough sleepers in towns with high rates of homelessness are to benefit from specialist NHS mental health care across the country . A total of 14 new outreach teams are starting work to increase the total across the country to 37 , exceeding the NHS Long Term Plan target of 20 by 2023 / 24 . The new services are part of coordinated efforts to ensure that rough sleepers have better access to NHS mental health support – joining up care with existing outreach , accommodation , drug and alcohol and physical healthcare services .
NHS plan to improve workforce experience
The NHS should draw up talent management plans to reduce staff turnover , increase recruitment and improve diversity in leadership positions , as part of the NHS ’ s first equality improvement plan aimed to boost patient experience and support staff . Published on Thursday 8 June , the first Equality , diversity and inclusion plan also says that psychological support should be available for all NHS staff who have been victims of bullying , harassment , discrimination , or violence by next spring . The plan sets out six actions aimed at increasing workforce and financial performance . Trusts have also been asked to set internal targets to reduce bullying , harassment , discrimination , and violence by March next year . Visit bit . ly / 3r1kT41 .
Early detection of changes for effective interventions for sundowning
The Social Care Institute for Excellence , Anthropos and the Dementia Services Development Centre , have been awarded £ 80,000 by Longitude Prize on Dementia for ‘ an innovative home-based technology that will enable early detection of changes in the symptoms of dementia for effective interventions in sundowning ’.
The home-based technology will be designed to learn and understand a person ’ s daily routine and behaviour patterns in relation to the physiological and environmental factors thought to contribute to sundowning , which approximately 20-30 % of people living with dementia experience . Visit https :// bit . ly / 3PLvk6b .
Public Health Wales launches new tool to help reduce health inequality
A new digital platform is being launched to help stakeholders develop measures to reduce health inequality in Wales . Developed by the Policy and International Health team within the WHO Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-being , it is a tool for health professionals , local authorities , and policy makers to help stimulate ideas and find answers to equity problems . The platform will be launched at a webinar on 22 June 2023 , and further webinars will be held to highlight uses and new developments of the system .
July 2023 OTnews 9