‘Healthier Horizons for the North West’ calls for NHS services in the community and in hospitals to “raise their game” in terms of the quality of care they provide and to listen more to their patients and the public they serve. And in 2008-09, North West NHS services have received £565 million in new growth money, which will now be used to deliver the aspirations set out in the report.
The report also calls on the NHS in our region, its stakeholders and members of the public to shift their focus much more towards the promotion of health and the prevention of illness.
Healthier Horizons is the North West response to the Our NHS Our Future review, led by Lord Ara Darzi. Over the past nine months, groups of doctors, nurses, therapists, social care staff, patients and the public have been looking at how to improve treatment and care in areas such as birth, children and young people’s health, long term conditions, and urgent care.
Speaking ahead of the report launch, Mike Farrar, chief executive of NHS North West said: “We are proud of the considerable progress that has been made in the North West towards a healthier future for our citizens and share Lord Darzi’s vision of a fairer, more personalised, safe and accountable health service.
“But to achieve that vision, the NHS must raise its game. We must deliver world-class quality services time after time; and engage the public and patients more effectively so that decisions are made with and not for them.’
Healthier Horizons highlights some of the achievements of the NHS and NHS staff in the region. 88% of people admitted to hospital for planned operations receive their treatment within 18 weeks of being referred by their GP. Survival rates for cancer and heart disease continue to improve. The North West is also pioneering new technology, allowing some patients to monitor and manage their health from the comfort of home instead of having to make repeated visits to their GP or local hospital.
Healthier Horizons also tells another side to the story of where we are now – one of intractable health problems among our population and of the need for a fundamentally different approach to tackling the source of sickness and ill health in our region.
Some of the outcomes recommended in the report include:
- By 2010 life expectancy will improve by 11% for men and for women by 16%
- The NHS will use every patient contact as an opportunity to promote health
- The North West will focus on the quality of care for patients and introduce the first customer care programme for the NHS
- Everyone at the advanced stages of their illness will be given the choice and support to die at home
- Anyone with a mental health problem will be directed to the services that can best help them
- People who have a long term condition, such as heart disease or diabetes will be put in charge of their care; and will be able to decide where they get their care from, through the use of personalised budgets
- Children’s Trusts will be put in control of planning services for children and young people, ensuring health, social care and voluntary services are linked together
- Services for people who have had a stroke will be amongst the best in the country
- Every woman will be assigned to a named midwife, who will be her key contact during pregnancy
Mike said “In Healthier Horizons we set out the recommendations from our review, and challenge our PCTs and clinical leaders of the NHS to incorporate those recommendations in their plans for the future.
“We believe firmly after listening to NHS staff, our partners, and the public that we need to shift our focus in the North West to truly become a ‘health’ service, as well as being a service to help us when we become ill. We want patients and the public to see and feel clear benefits and improvements in their health services. We have outlined our idea for introducing 10 Touchstone Tests, which everyone can use to tell if their services are getting better.
“Health is everyone’s business, and the Touchstones are one way of getting feedback from the public about the progress of the NHS in our region, and demonstrating our commitment to being more transparent.”
