8 July 2024 News

Transforming Healthcare Under the New Labour Government

 

With the election of a Labour government in 2024, significant changes are on the horizon for the NHS and the broader healthcare system. Labour’s manifesto outlines ambitious plans to address long-standing issues and to modernise the healthcare system to better serve patients and healthcare professionals alike.  As a leading healthcare consultancy firm, Apira stands ready to support NHS trusts and other healthcare organisations in navigating these changes and maximizing the benefits of new initiatives.

Labour’s Healthcare Commitments

  1. Cutting NHS Waiting Times and Expanding Capacity Labour has committed to delivering 40,000 additional NHS appointments each week, including evenings and weekends. They plan to utilise spare capacity in the independent sector to ensure quicker diagnoses and treatments​ (The Labour Party)​​ (LabourList)​.
  2. Improving Cancer Care A new ‘Fit For the Future’ fund aims to double the number of CT and MRI scanners, which will enhance early detection of cancers and other serious conditions​ (The Labour Party)​​ (NHS Confederation)​.
  3. Enhancing Mental Health Services Labour plans to recruit 8,500 more mental health professionals and establish Young Futures hubs in every community. This initiative aims to ensure that mental health services are readily accessible to both children and adults​ (LabourList)​​ (NHS Confederation)​.
  4. Modernising Primary Care Labour will train thousands more GPs, guarantee face-to-face appointments for those who prefer them, and modernise appointment booking systems to alleviate the 8am rush​ (The Labour Party)​​ (NHS Confederation)​.
  5. Addressing Health Inequalities and Prioritising Women’s Health Labour aim to close the Black and Asian maternal mortality gap and halve the disparity in healthy life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas. Women’s health will also be a key focus​ (NHS Confederation)​.
  6. Digital Transformation and Innovation Labour plans to digitise NHS systems, including the Red Book for children’s health, and enhance the NHS app to improve patient control over health information and participation in clinical trials​ (The Labour Party)​​ (NHS Confederation)​.
  7. Public Health Measures Labour’s public health initiatives include banning the advertising of vapes and junk food to children, integrating smoking cessation programs into routine hospital care, and preventing the next generation from legally buying cigarettes​ (LabourList)​.

How Apira Can Support

As healthcare organisations prepare for these transformative changes, Apira is here to support Trusts and organisations to de-risk their digital journeys helping ensure certainty of outcome for staff and patients.  We work with your teams to offer practical support, for example, we can help with:

Strategic Decision Justification

  • Business Cases: Apira can help NHS trusts develop robust business cases to secure funding for new initiatives, ensuring alignment with Labour’s healthcare priorities.

Requirements Specification and Solution Procurement

  • Electronic Document Records (EDMs), Electronic Patient Records (EPRs) and Patient Engagement Portals (PEPs): We support Trusts in specifying requirements, procuring the best-fit solutions, and ensuring seamless deployment.

Full Deployment and Support

  • For EPRs in Mental Health and Community: Including work to optimise solutions already in use to maximise benefits for staff and patients.
  • Maternity and NeoNatal Support: Our expertise includes deploying digital solutions tailored to maternity and neonatal services, in line with Labour’s commitment to closing maternal mortality gaps.

Digital Maturity and Adoption

  • HIIMS Digital Maturity Assessments: Apira conducts thorough assessments to gauge digital maturity and readiness, helping trusts adopt new technologies effectively.
  • Building Buy-In: We facilitate staff training and engagement, ensuring that new solutions are embraced and integrated smoothly into daily operations.

Conclusion

The Labour government’s ambitious plans for the NHS present both opportunities and challenges.  Apira is dedicated to supporting NHS trusts and healthcare organisations in adapting to these changes, ensuring they can deliver improved care and outcomes for patients.  By leveraging our expertise in digital transformation, business case development, and solution deployment, we can help healthcare providers navigate this new landscape and achieve Labour’s vision of a modern, efficient, and equitable healthcare system. Geoff Broome, Director and Founder of Apira said: “The new government seems to want to hit the ground running and “fix” a “broken” NHS.  We stand ready to help with practical support to ensure better use of better systems forms a key part of this process.”

For more information on how Apira can support your organisation during this period of transformation, please contact David Corbett, Executive Director david.corbett@apira.co.uk