Responding to the Government’s announcement on neighbourhoods ahead of the 10 Year Health Plan1, BMA council chair Dr Tom Dolphin said:
“Ultimately patients want to be seen quickly, close to home and by the right person, so we will need to look carefully at the details of what’s being proposed in the Plan itself and whether it will meet the Government’s ambitions.
“The success of the Plan, and whether it will improve patients’ care and the public’s lives, will hinge on whether it genuinely addresses the workforce shortages, and values and empowers professionals on the front line, or just rearranges deck chairs on a sinking ship.
“As with other announcements we’ve had so far, big questions remain about who will staff any new services – especially those with extended hours - or how they will be funded. The limited workforce, who are already feeling undervalued – financially and culturally - must not be moved around like pieces on a chess board or made to work even harder. The Government has little hope of pushing through reforms while doctors feel undervalued and fearful for their futures; addressing this in the first instance means fixing pay, contracts and unemployment.
“The Plan must demonstrate the Government truly values the clinical leaders who dedicate their lives to saving lives, and improving and protecting the nation’s health. They cannot do this on the cheap or by filling gaps with lesser qualified staff.
“As for neighbourhoods, there’s no doubt that early intervention is better - and prevention is better than cure – but the shift from hospitals to communities cannot happen overnight and without a detailed plan on resourcing it properly. Done too quickly and without thorough thought it risks heaping pressure on both hospitals and primary care by taking resource away from one while piling work on to the other.
“A healthy NHS also needs to be supported by reducing demand on our health services, so prevention and public health must be resourced to respond to an increasingly sick population.
“The kind of care described in this announcement is already happening in many places – often led by GPs and involving a wide range of staff. If practices were given the resources they need they could build on their local relationships and ensure even better continuity of care. Meanwhile different venues for people to access care and improvements to the NHS App seem positive, but miss an open goal to fix and expand NHS buildings and GP practices – and overhaul the outdated and incompatible IT that the NHS relies on – so services can meet patients’ needs.
“If this Plan is to be as ambitious and transformative as the Government would have us believe, it needs the backing of staff and any changes must be implemented in genuine partnership with workers on the frontline.
“We’ll need to see the full details to assess whether this will be possible.”
Ends
Notes to editors
The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.
- Please contact the Department for Health and Social Care for details.
- Read the BMA’s submission to ‘Change NHS’