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Thursday 18 July 2024
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Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Health Ann-Marie Cannaby and Pro-Vice-Chancellor's Strategic Advisor Dame Eileen Sills share their thoughts on how the new Labour government can improve health and social care in the UK.
As we welcome a new government coming into power, we recognise the challenges that they and all who work in the NHS face. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, described himself as stunned at the NHS’ failings in his first statement in the role. Many who work in the service may agree with his remarks, but, despite outdated facilities, old technology and staff shortages, the NHS is still striving to deliver safe and compassionate care.
Between us we have over 75 years of experience as nurses, and we know that our colleagues get out of bed everyday with the drive and determination to provide quality patient care and uphold the NHS’ reputation. Many of our colleagues believe this is a good career, with opportunities, rewards and experiences that are valued. The last few years have been tough, with staffing issues, the horrors of Covid and the strikes and discontentment of professional groups. A constant need to do more with less, without the incentives, respect or sometimes the support to do so, has led to many leaving the service, retiring early or moving abroad.
Our challenge is to have enough people to care for our communities, and we need to put education at the centre of this regeneration. Access to health and social care education and access to NHS care itself are interlinked - and both require reform.
Keir Starmer’s new government has committed to raising the number of NHS appointments by 2 million per year in its first year. The plan is to incentivise staff to carry out additional appointments out of hours. Our view is that asking the current workforce to do more in the same way is unlikely to achieve these aims. The government needs to consider how to increase access to care across more hours and days, smoothing out the peaks and troughs of activity. This requires more flexible working patterns, enabling people to work part-time, remotely and flexibly, while using our fixed assets and resources more efficiently. These are conversations that NHS executives have had for years and, for such initiatives to be effective, we must first address the workforce shortages in health and social care provision. This is why education should be the focal point of the new government’s approach.
Greater knowledge sharing would help support the development of a revitalised, empowered workforce that has the skills, experience and flexibility to succeed. The service needs to continue to embrace the opportunities that having a multi-skilled workforce can bring. We see a continued need for diversification in primary care, oral health and in some areas of acute care. There is clear scope for our multiple professional groups to better integrate and share skills, and this will need regulators to support the changes that are required and to work together on professional standards.
Collaboration and the application of new technology can help us to deliver affordable health and care education. Students today have varied learning styles, and we must strive to ensure they are welcomed into an inclusive and adaptable working environment. Simulation, AR, VR and immersive technologies are available in both the provider and education context, meaning the lines between the two will blur as organisations work more closely together to offer more online and skills-based learning. FE and HE providers need a regulatory environment that allows them to embrace market forces and changes in society to work with the health and social care sector in leveraging technology across both education and practice.
Dame Eileen Sills
We also need to enhance our apprenticeship offering. These programmes have proven to be incredibly successful, but without flexibility in using the apprenticeship levy to support backfill while staff take time off to study and progress in their careers, they often fall short of boosting the workforce in the way we all want. Apprenticeships are strongly regulated for a reason, but the government must do more to ensure this red tape does not impede our ability to deliver them effectively.
Above all, it is time we reignite the passion for working in the NHS. To do this, we need to promote an enthusiastic culture that celebrates positive care and ensures that future generations are as eager to join the NHS as we were all those years ago. This journey starts with education, and the new government must endeavour not only to raise the profile of NHS careers, but kickstart a new era of respect for the profession.