Patients given stronger voice
A new strategy published this week by the Department of Health will give patients and the public a stronger voice, allowing them to make informed choices and have more control in managing their health.
'Our vision for Primary and Community Care', published as part of the Next Stage Review of the NHS, sets out the future direction for primary and community care in England and focuses on personal and responsive health care.
This week's announcement means listening and responding to what people tell the NHS and encouraging customer feedback, allowing patients to register online and have a greater range of options for consulting with their GP. A new secure web-based system called 'myhealthspace' has also been created, allowing people to access and update their personal care record to share information with their care team and book appointments.
Other highlights of the strategy include piloting more joined up services to help people who want to return to work but are struggling with problems such as back pain or stress, and investing in new programmes of clinical leadership, innovation and high-quality training. Faster and simpler access to a wider range of community based services such as health checks in high-street pharmacies and walk-in-services have also been considered.
Ben Bradshaw, health services minister, commented on the initiative: "People tell us that they want to be more involved in decisions about their health care and that primary community care should be more individual, convenient and joined up. Change will only come from listening more closely to what users tell us, responding to that and giving them more choice and say over their health care."
He continued: "All of this will only happen by unlocking the talents and professionalism of NHS staff working in primary care, giving them greater freedoms to provide the services their patients want and more control over how they do it, whilst equipping them with the necessary skills."
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Words: Maria Bracken
