Therese Coffey has announced plans to ease pressure on health and social care services this winter and next.
Delivering a statement in the House of Commons today (Thursday, September 22), the Health and Social Care Secretary vowed to be a champion for patients as she set out the details of 'Our Plan for Patients.' The new measures will prioritise ambulances, appointment backlogs, doctors and dentists, the government says.
Under the plans, millions of GP appointments will be freed up and patients will able to compare the performance of local surgeries. The plan also includes freeing up funding to allow general practices to employ more roles, such as GP assistants and more advanced nurse practitioners.
However, the one million volunteers who stepped up during the pandemic to support the NHS will be asked to come forward again as part of a 'national endeavour.' The announcement comes as the latest data shows the number of permanent GPs working across England has dropped year-on-year for the third month in a row.
Outlining her plans, Ms Coffey said: “Patients are my top priority and I will be their champion, focusing on the issues that most affect them or their loved ones. Most of the time patients have a great experience, but we must not paper over the problems that we face. We expect backlogs to rise before they fall as more patients come forward for diagnosis and treatment after the pandemic."
Here are the main points the deputy prime minister set out in the Commons on Thursday..
Focus on reducing ambulance times
To reduce ambulance waiting times, the equivalent of 7,000 beds will be freed up with a focus on discharging people from hospital, Ms Coffey said. People will also be monitored at home, enlisting technology used during the pandemic.
Ms Coffey said she wanted a “laser-like focus” on handover delays for ambulances. Analysis shows 45 per cent of delays are occurring in “just 15 hospital trusts”, she said, adding that the NHS would do 'intensive work' with these trusts to improve delays.
The government will also be 'exploring the creation of an ambulance auxiliary service', she said. The number of call handlers will also be increased, delivering 4,800 call handlers in NHS 111 and 2,500 in 999 so calls can be answered more quickly.
Backlog of appointments to be tackled
Ms Coffey said she would accelerate plans to roll out community diagnostic sectors and hospitals to tackle the backlog of health care appointments. More people will also be employed on the front-line to 'boost capacity.'
Patients to have easier access to GP appointments
Millions of GP appointments will open up and everyone who needs a doctor's appointment should get one at a GP practice within two weeks under the new plan, Ms Coffey said. The most urgent cases should be dealt with the same day.
In addition, it will become easier for patients to contact their GP with 'state-of-the-art' telephone software. Patients can also compare the performance of their practice to other local surgeries using new data.
Pharmacies to supply more medication without GP prescription
Pharmacies will help to ease pressure on GPs by managing and supplying more medicines - such as contraception - without a GP prescription. They will also take on referrals from emergency care for minor illnesses or symptoms, such as a cough, headache or sore throat.
Ms Coffey said: "To help free up appointments, we will ease pressures on GP practices by expanding the role of community pharmacies. I’m pleased to announce that today we have agreed a deal for an expanded offer over the next 18 months.
“Pharmacists will be able to prescribe certain medications rather than requiring a GP prescription. As well as other measures involving community pharmacists, we estimate that this will free up two million appointments.”
Dental appointments to be more accessible
Ms Coffey said the new measures will make it easier for patients to book dental appointments. ‘Dental deserts’ - a lack of practising dentists - will be addressed by the General Dental Council, with measures put in place to make it easier for dentists who trained overseas to practice in the NHS.
Practices will also have to publicly state whether they are taking new NHS patients.
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