Future issues facing healthcare
Thursday,14 January 2010 by Charan Thandi
Primary health care, its something that affects us all! I feel that there are many issues facing health care particularly for the future. One issue that has touched me recently has been the issue of an aging population as this is inevitably leading to more pressure principally for hospitals and for General Practitioners. New studies are showing that the life expectancy of 50% of babies being born now, will be over 100 years, which will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of diseases such as Diabetes and many others like Myocardial Infarctions. Of course there is also likely to be a decrease in other illnesses, as medical practices advance, so those such as Epilepsy and Schizophrenia should decrease.
I feel in the future this may possibly lead to integration between private healthcare and the NHS or a possible approach leading to higher taxes in an aim to bring more money into healthcare. I believe primary healthcare will be most affected by this; however secondary and tertiary healthcare are also likely to feel the effects of an aging population due to more referrals. Also due to medical advances I feel the life expectancies can only increase as new discoveries are regularly being made, such as new drugs, many of which are aimed to increase the quality and length of life. Overall, I think healthcare may require extra funding to cope with the additional pressures posed by longer living and unquestionably prioritising funding will now become more and more important.
In the future we could see only essential treatments being offered on the NHS, and others that are non-essential such as the removal of warts (those that pose no medical implication), may be available by the private healthcare sector, although conversely this could lead to issues relating to patient autonomy and the public is likely to feel the initial effects of any changes, whether they are cost related or treatment related. Of course we cannot forget private health care plays an important role in society and compared to other countries the way that multidisciplinary teams work together under high pressure to do such important roles is truly admirable. Some would debate private healthcare is only for the rich - whereas others would claim its benefits are limited. However one thing for sure, privatisation with the NHS doesn’t look set for anytime soon.
Thank you for reading - rest assured - many health blogs are set to come your way - if you are interested in any specific diseases let me know, and I’ll try my best to write about them. Feel free to email me on charansinghthandi@hotmail.com.
Tags: aging population, NHS, primary health care, private health care
January 15th, 2010 at 9:16 am
I found this article to be a very interesting read to what could maybe be the way forward
for NHS and Private Health care in the future. This will be used towards my homework…
with thanks Tami
January 15th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Your idea of ingetration between private healthcare and the NHS is a good one, but it would need to be carefully managed by a team of professional medics not just financial wizkids, because let’s face it - its all to do with MONEY; a venture such as this could easily be hijacked by opportunists out to make a buck. Possibly a slow integration within specific areas would work best. ALSO, I think Prevention is an area that should be expanded more in this country - we have very few areas where screening and therefore early diagnosis is commonplace. If this were the case, the cost to the NHS would, in the long term, be reduced and money saved from lengthy treatments, and more importantly more lives saved!
January 15th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
I think once the government are re educated on the importance of caring for our ageing community, they will inevitable have to make necessary changes within the NHS. It is shocking to see pensioners dying in their own homes, even after the authorities have been alerted to their plight by worried neighbours. Once their laissez faire attitude towards elderly individuals is corrected I think public and private sectors working together is a fabulous idea. It is obvious that both sectors can compliment one another, I will watch this space!
January 15th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
I really like the blog as it raises key issues for the future. As a doctor I believe you are right, and an ageing population is having an increasingly diffucult approach for the NHS. Integration between private health care and the NHS surely has numerous advantages! Nice blog - Keep posting!
January 15th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I completely agree with Denise
It’s all to do with Money and slow integration within specific areas would work best.
We have to start thinking and acting now to keep the NHS going and make it better for the present and future generations.
Good thinking !!
January 15th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Reading this article I found it interesting to hear your points of view. Working within the health care sector I feel that at present there is a large waiting list for patients needing treatments offered by the NHS. Thus this can only mean more strain on the NHS if the future generation has longer life expectancy’s.
Your article has highlighted that there will be a need for NHS to evaluate how they plan to care for there patients in the future if this is the case. I am sure that your suggestion would be of interest within the NHS & Private sector.
Perhaps in the future you may attend medical debate boards and put this to them.
Excellent read and very thought provoking. Look foward to read any future articles you have.
January 16th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
This was a very interesting article and one which raises some very key points for our future- it begs the question whether medical and scientific advances are, in actual fact, working against us? Medicine (both privat and the NHS) is a wonderful thing but with an ageing population, is medicine advancing too much? At what time do we stop and think about both the economic and social implications of and ever- ageing population?- Are we out-doing ourselves?
January 19th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Health Promotion and Screening particularly for early detection of the Chronic Diseases clearly sees people living longer. The financial strain on the NHS is ever increasing and combined,intergrated care does seem to be the obvious way forward.The future of the NHS as we know it is elvolving fast and inevitbley is facing many changes exciting times ahead !!