Health Secretary Changes Focus from Cure to Prevention
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, is looking to re-align priorities in the NHS budget. He wants to move more resource into prevention and towards primary and community services.
He wants to see the following targets realised:
- Diagnosing 75% of cancers at stages 1 and 2 by 2028.
- Whole-genome sequencing to all seriously ill children and people with cancer by 2019.
- Halving childhood obesity.
- Increasing specialist mental health services to 30,000 more women during and post-pregnancy by 2021.
He commented that with the £97bn being spent each year on treatment and just £8bn on prevention, the balance is all wrong.
Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, has called for more financial and people investment in general practice to make this happen.
Comment
This makes sense. "A stitch in time saves nine." Community pharmacy has so much to offer in keeping people well and treating people with long-term conditions, rather than have patients end up in hospital - this is less expensive, keeps people well, and living where they want to be. I hope the funding is provided to reward and recognise what they can do to contribute to keeping the country healthy.