Buckinghamshire joins NHS transformation programme

Primary Care Transformation Series - Post #2: The Romanow Report's Prescient Vision 🔮** Following my initial post on leveraging diverse perspectives for primary care transformation, I want to highlight a document that was remarkably ahead of its time - the 2002 Romanow Report: "Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada." Why Roy Romanow's Commission didn't just diagnose problems - it predicted our current crisis with stunning accuracy. In 2002, they warned of healthcare workforce shortages that would manifest in the 2020s. Today, 6.5 million Canadians lack access to a family physician. Key Recommendations ✅ Interprofessional Teams: Primary health care delivery should be through group practices or networks of health care professionals" - directly foreseeing today's team-based care models ✅ Educational Reform: "If health care providers are expected to work together... it makes sense that their education and training should prepare them for this type of working arrangement" - anticipating interprofessional education needs ✅ Cultural Shift: Moving from physician-centric to collaborative care where "no one provider has all the answers to all problems" ✅ System Integration: Called for 24/7 primary care access and coordinated services 💔 The Health Council Tragedy Romanow's 2nd recommendation created the Health Council of Canada (2004-2014) - an independent body that successfully reduced wait times. The brutal irony: We had the monitoring and innovation infrastructure Romanow envisioned, it was delivering results, but jurisdictional politics trumped evidence. The Sustainability Challenge: This exemplifies why sustainability remains elusive in our federated system. Many pilot projects flourish then fade without coordinated embedding across jurisdictions. The Council's death marked the end of national health system coordination - precisely when we needed it most. Historical Perspective: The report's core insight remains our North Star: *"The future of health care in Canada is to be found in a system that emphasizes primary health care based on collaborative interdisciplinary teams using the most appropriate mix of health providers." This 20+ year old wisdom directly influenced Family Health Teams, primary care networks, and today's Team Primary Care initiatives. Yet without sustained political commitment and intergovernmental cooperation, even successful innovations become victims of jurisdictional politics. Question: What can we learn from both Romanow's foresight and the Health Council's demise about ensuring today's innovations achieve lasting transformation? For those outside Canada, what change system lens perspectives can you share? #PrimaryCare #HealthcareTransformation #RomanowReport #InterprofessionalCare #HealthPolicy

This is great news! As it’s recurring funding boards can develop services, clinical pathways and employ staff. There’s a lot more published research now to guide service design than for the previous funding

Today, the Health Policy Commission (HPC) voted to initiate a cost and market impact review (CMIR) of the proposed affiliation of Mass General Brigham and MinuteClinic Primary Care of Massachusetts. Under the proposed transaction, MinuteClinic is proposing to transform 37 urgent/convenience care centers to MinuteClinic Primary Care and to offer longitudinal care for adults across the sites co-located in CVS retail locations. Through the CMIR, a comprehensive, data-driven review, the HPC will assess potential implications of this new partnership on primary care access, quality, and health care costs in Massachusetts. “Primary care is the foundation of a strong, sustainable health system, yet it faces increasing pressures in Massachusetts. Research has demonstrated that a lack of access leads to worse outcomes, both for residents’ health and in terms of cost to the system,” said HPC Executive Director David Seltz. “Innovative solutions that deliver high quality, affordable primary care that is accessible to all residents are desperately needed. The HPC’s vetting in a CMIR will help ensure that this proposal meets those goals.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/emhzr3bH #Primary Care #HealthPolicy

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 A Liverpool Plains healthcare planning project has taken its next step forward following a recent Prioritisation Workshop held on 15 September at the Quirindi Hub. The Collaborative Care Project, supported by NSW Health and led locally by Rural Doctors Network (RDN) in partnership with local stakeholders, aims to improve community access to vital health services. Health service providers and government representatives came together to review health service needs in Liverpool Plains and to identify the most pressing health priorities. After a robust discussion, the Project Group identified three key priorities to work towards. The first priority is improving access to General Practitioner (GP) services and alternate pathways for care that reduce pressure on the limited GP workforce. The second priority is improving the community’s understanding of the available health services and how to access them. The third priority is providing support to help community members navigate the complicated healthcare system, ensuring that there is “no wrong door” when seeking healthcare support. These priorities were drawn from a community health services survey held late last year, interviews with local health professionals, and local health statistics. Local partners: HealthWISE, HNE Health, HNE Primary Health Network, Liverpool Plains Shire Council, Quirindi Care Services, Rural Doctors Network, and WalHealth, will now investigate opportunities to address these priorities. Community Project Officer, Samantha Shipman, said the project is about harnessing the collective strengths of health professionals, support agencies, and the Liverpool Plains community to build sustainable improvements in healthcare. “The priorities identified are opportunities to work together to improve the wellbeing of the Liverpool Plains community,” Ms Shipman said. “We are committed to working together to make real change.” The Collaborative Care Project is facilitated by Rural Doctors Network - RDN on behalf of local stakeholders and supported by the NSW Ministry of Health. The project aims to strengthen health service delivery through genuine community collaboration. Information on the project can be found online at www.collaborativecare.au #rural #health #liverpoolplains

Digital-First Healthcare: New Zealand's Path to System Transformation In this opinion piece for NZ Herald, Cecilia Robinson, co-CEO of DHA member Tend Health Ltd, makes a compelling case for digital-first healthcare as the solution to New Zealand's health system challenges. Robinson examines how digital health services are already showing impact and addresses critics who question their value. Drawing from both local data and international examples, she argues for sustained investment in digital transformation. "New Zealand's fragmented system is inefficient, unsafe, costly and inequitable, the result of decades of ad hoc investment without a national plan," Robinson writes, highlighting the urgency of coordinated digital reform. The piece explores workforce implications, equity outcomes, and lessons from leading digital health systems globally, making the case for why bold innovation is essential for New Zealand's healthcare future. It is well worth the read! Read the full article (note: NZ Herald subscription required): https://lnkd.in/gGm-Fh8H #DigitalHealth #HealthcareTransformation #NewZealand #TendHealth #DHA

The recent HSJ analysis of NHS league tables asked does Joe Public really care if a hospital is in deficit? Evidence suggests patients care far more about access to and availability of services. Yet the new scoring system ranks hospitals according to their finances, even when clinical care is strong. This tension – between financial sustainability and service availability coupled with clinical quality – is not unique to the UK. Our latest article explores what the NHS can learn from Sydney’s Northern Beaches Hospital – a high-profile public–private partnership beset by safety concerns, tragic patient deaths, staffing challenges, and weak integration with the wider health network. Healthscope’s offer to hand back the public component early, and the New South Wales Government’s subsequent ban on acute hospital PPPs, highlight lessons for health services in the UK. The NHS cannot and should not ignore financial pressures – but nor can it afford to subordinate quality, safety, and people to balance sheets. Three lessons stand out: 1️⃣ Purpose must be clear – financial sustainability must be the enabler, not the driver 2️⃣ Integration is non-negotiable – seamless pathways across organisational boundaries must be prioritised 3️⃣ Communication and engagement can make or break reform – leaders need to involve and work with staff, patients and communities to design sustainable solutions together At Hood & Woolf, our experience shows that sustainable reform requires both the quality and financial cases being developed together - and with the meaningful involvement of clinicians, patients, and the public. The Northern Beaches story is a reminder – financial sustainability matters, but it is a means to an end, not the end itself. The NHS must not lose sight of that. Read our full article here: https://lnkd.in/eTyVQg9A

Yes! From a behaviour support lens, when we have AHAs in the space, clients are suddenly getting a team of supports wrapped around them 🤝 We can have people on the ground who — from an NDIS perspective — don’t use up as much funding, yet can take on so much of the in-person implementation. This keeps essential funds available so that no matter how complex a case is, a BSP and an AHA can provide effective, timely supports. That balance of strategy and implementation means participants don’t just have a plan sitting on paper — they have people actively walking it out with them day to day. And that’s what really makes progress sustainable! When organisations invest time and training into their AHAs, they’re not just building capacity — they’re staying a step ahead. With the current demand for services, AHAs aren’t just “nice to have,” they’re a necessity that directly lifts the quality of support an organisation can deliver ⭐

New research from the Nuffield Trust reveals significant inconsistencies in access to NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) across England. CHC provides fully funded health and social care outside of hospital settings for individuals with complex, ongoing needs. Despite a 17% increase in CHC spending between 2017 and 2023, the number of people found eligible has declined by 9% over the same period. Key findings include: • A nearly five-fold variation in CHC eligibility rates between Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), with deprived and older populations more likely to qualify — though this does not fully explain the disparity. • In 2022/23, individuals in the North West received £22,432 less in CHC funding than the national average, even after adjusting for regional differences. • Spending per eligible recipient was nearly twice as high in the least deprived areas (£95,085) compared to the most deprived (£47,300). • The assessment process is widely viewed as complex, inconsistent, and emotionally taxing, with concerns that decisions are arbitrary and difficult to challenge. The report suggests that CHC may be reinforcing existing inequalities rather than mitigating them. It also raises broader questions about the sustainability of an “all or nothing” funding model, especially in the context of a fragmented and under-resourced social care system. As demand for community-based care grows, ensuring fairness and transparency in CHC assessments will be critical to achieving policy goals around integrated, equitable care delivery. #nhs #continuinghealthcare #healthcareinequality #chc #healthdisparities

💙 The NHS 10-Year Plan: 15 Ways It Will Transform Public Health The NHS is embarking on a bold journey with its “Fit for the Future” 10-Year Plan — a promise to make healthcare more accessible, digital, preventive, and equitable. Here’s how it could positively impact us all: 1️⃣ Care Closer to Home — Routine treatment shifts to community settings, saving travel time & easing hospital pressure. 2️⃣ Digital-First NHS — Virtual consultations, online prescriptions, remote monitoring → faster access, fewer visits. 3️⃣ Prevention Over Cure — Screening & early intervention to reduce illness and long-term costs. 4️⃣ Reducing Inequality — Halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between rich & poor areas. 5️⃣ Personalised Care — By 2027, 95% of complex patients to have personal care plans. 6️⃣ Faster Innovation Access — New medicines & tech rolled out quickly, without postcode lottery. 7️⃣ 200+ Neighbourhood Health Centres — Integrated care hubs bringing GPs, diagnostics & mental health support locally. 8️⃣ Stronger Primary Care — Reform funding/contracts → better access, continuity & responsiveness. 9️⃣ Workforce Investment — Training, wellbeing & flexibility to tackle staffing shortages. 🔟 Shorter Hospital Waits — Digital & community care could cut outpatient visits by up to 33%. 1️⃣1️⃣ Seamless Discharge — Better support → fewer readmissions, £269 savings/patient & better quality-of-life. 1️⃣2️⃣ Advanced Surgery — Robotic-assisted procedures rising from ~70,000 → 500,000/year by 2035. 1️⃣3️⃣ Root Cause Prevention — Addressing diet, housing & environment for lasting health. 1️⃣4️⃣ Transparency & Accountability — Public performance data for trust & improvement. 1️⃣5️⃣ Economic Value — Healthier population = more productivity, fewer sick days, lower long-term costs. 📊 By Numbers: ✅ 95% care plans for complex needs by 2027 ✅ ~200 neighbourhood health centres ✅ Halve healthy life expectancy gap ✅ Up to 33% outpatient visit reduction ✅ £269 saved per patient ✅ 500,000 robotic surgeries/year by 2035 🌍 This isn’t just a health plan — it’s a transformation: 🏥 Hospital → Community 🧾 Reactive → Preventive 📱 Analogue → Digital ⚖️ Unequal → Inclusive 💬 Which of these changes will matter most to you? #NHS #Healthcare #10YearPlan #PublicHealth #HealthInnovation #DigitalHealth #HealthEquity #CommunityCare #Prevention #HealthTransformation #UKHealth #FutureOfHealthcare #HealthTech #Wellbeing #PatientCentredCare

Health care productivity - some recent insights from NHS England "New data shows NHS productivity for acute trusts increased by 2.7% over the past year - between April 2024 and March 2025 - exceeding the government’s 2% year-on-year target set in the 10 Year Health Plan." "This has been achieved through more same-day discharges, shorter hospital stays, better use of technology, reduced reliance on agency staff, improved staff retention, and sending in crack teams of top clinicians to underperforming trusts to drive rapid improvements." "AI technology, tested across 9 NHS sites, has freed up clinicians to spend more time with patients. A&E departments saw a 13.4% increase in patients treated per shift and a 51.7% reduction in time spent completing documentation." "Alongside this, the NHS will move away from national funding based on average costs to tariffs based on best clinical practice that maximises outcomes for patients." https://lnkd.in/gqBbCNDQ https://lnkd.in/gffjNtfa Mark Butler Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Productivity Commission Commonwealth Treasury Australian Medical Association Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (AHHA) Australian Private Hospitals Association Catholic Health Australia Ramsay Health Care Healthscope Epworth Cabrini HEALTH St John of God Health Care Private Healthcare Australia Members Health Fund Alliance Australian Health Service Alliance Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) NSW Health Victorian Department of Health Queensland Health Department of Health (WA Health) SA Health Department of Health, Tasmania NT Health ACT Health