07 July 2023

NHS @75

This week the NHS turned 75, here is a snapshot of the week.

• Kiren Collison Medical Director for Primary Care at NHS England, thanked ‘general practice, pharmacy, optometry and audiology teams’ for all that they do to help people in primary care. 

• Public Health Wales celebrated its achievements, including diabetic eye screening, in a video.

• Also in Wales, Health Minister Eluned Morgan, said the NHS will not be able to meet needs without change. She said the law was changing so “...opticians can treat a wider range of eye problems” and Welsh Government would help tackle workforce issues in general by moving more care out of hospitals. 

Dan Hodgson, FODO's Head of Policy and Public Affairs said: "Primary care has been the foundation of the NHS since its inception 75 years ago. At FODO we work with colleagues from across GP, dentistry, pharmacy and audiology to get things right for patients.

"Our members deliver more than 18 million eye examinations each year and many more patient interactions. Primary eye care is constantly innovating and meeting more patient needs. Today we examine eye health, test and correct patients' vision and provide care for people with eye conditions including cataracts, glaucoma and low vision.

"As set out in Principle and Priorities for Primary Eye Care, our members are committed to improving access to eye care services so that patients can reach more services, sooner and closer to home. This, in turn, will help reduce pressure on hospitals and GPs. It's something NHS England has recently acknowledged in its Long-term Workforce Plan which states:" Primary eye care providers have the knowledge and skills required to deliver more eye care services in the community.".

Wider health policy news on the NHS’s 75^th birthday included:

• The BBC reported on how health spending is likely to make up 44% of all public service spending by 2024-25 compared to just 27% in 1999.
• Wes Streeting wrote an article in the Evening Standard about the state and future of the NHS, and Steve Barclay was challenged on Sky News on the impacts of austerity on the NHS.
• Health Foundation research showed strong support for the NHS free at the point of delivery model, although 71% of survey respondents felt it was likely the NHS would have to introduce more user charges in the next 10 years.
• Tony Blair told the Guardian that the NHS should focus on embracing technology and using private healthcare providers “...in the provision of high-volume, low-complexity services”.