Spire Healthcare responds to the government's 10 Year Health Plan for England
Responding to the government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England, Justin Ash, CEO of Spire Healthcare said:
“We welcome the government’s ambition for the NHS to deliver a neighbourhood health service that’s more accessible and convenient for patients and to move away from the current hospital-centric system.
“Achieving that ambition needs England’s healthcare landscape to work as an integrated system where public and independent providers act together in the best interests of patients, to deliver the safest and highest quality care where, and when, it’s needed.
“We are pleased the government is committing to continue using private providers to improve access and reduce waiting times.
“Spire is proud to be one of only two independent healthcare providers selected as a Strategic Supplier to the DHSC and NHS England. We cared for almost 200,000 NHS patients in the past 12 months, but we and other independent providers can do much more with longer-term commissioning that creates certainty to enable investment in services. We look forward to the implementation plan which is due to be published later this year.
“Patients being aware of their legal right to choose their care provider – free at point of delivery and reimbursed at the same price as NHS hospitals – is also important, so we’re pleased to see the Choice Charter being developed to improve patient preference, voice and choice. We also welcome the focus on quality, outcomes and patient experience as part of that patient choice offering.
“The government’s plans to move from sickness to prevention and deliver joined-up support across work, health and skills systems to help people find and stay in work is welcome. We know that preventative measures and fast access to physical and mental health support keeps people in work and benefits the economy. The joined-up, preventative care we provide to over 1.7 million employees in more than 800 businesses through our occupational health services, achieves return to work rates of 97% for mental health and 95% for musculoskeletal conditions, the two biggest drivers of long-term sickness absence in the UK.
“The planned prioritisation of technologies such as AI, genomics, wearables and robotics, and better use of data, resonates with recent developments Spire has made in expanding our robotic capabilities to benefit thousands of patients in England each year. Partnerships in development with two genomics companies will also enable us to start delivering personalised health insights to help people take more control of their health.
“Spire has a critical part to play in supporting the NHS to improve access to primary care services, cut hospital waiting lists and prevent ill health in communities. We will continue working in partnership to identify ways we can do that through our 38 hospitals, 50+ clinics and occupational health services across the UK.”
