This initiative aims to change the way people interact with their healthcare and the system. What could this mean for millions of people across the country?
Millions of UK Patients to Receive Health Smartwatches as Part of NHS Strategy
By Arezki AMIRI
Published on 21 October 2024 09:30
Wearable technology has the potential to change the paradigms of health care. This development is in line with the UK government’s plans to modernize the National Health Services with an emphasis placed on the inhabitants. Such devices would allow patients to check their blood pressure and glucose levels more conveniently.
Next week, Wes Streeting will preside over a national consultation to develop a 10-year vision of the NHS which would be based more on local levels along with modernization to focus on technology.
Wearable Technology for Health Monitoring
Wearable technology, such as smartwatches and smart rings, is set to play a crucial role in tracking patient health. These devices will not only monitor key indicators like blood pressure and glucose levels but also help cancer patients track vital signs.
Such innovations aim to consolidate patient data into a single health record, accessible through the NHS app. This technological shift is seen as a way to empower patients, enabling them to take a more active role in managing their health.
The government plans to introduce neighbourhood health centres located closer to people's homes than hospitals. These centres will house GPs, nurses, care workers, and other healthcare professionals in one building, offering a streamlined approach to care.
By centralizing services, the Department of Health and Social Care hopes to reduce the burden on hospitals, stating this model will prevent patients from “going from pillar to post” for treatment. Minor injuries could be treated locally, reducing long waits in overcrowded hospitals.
This model isn't entirely new. Similar community-based services were trialed in London during the 1920s and 1930s, before the NHS was established, but the current plan aims to implement it on a national scale.
Wes Streeting's 10-Year NHS Plan
The Secretary of Health announced that there is no way back for the NHS unless radical changes are implemented. For him, the plan of the decade is a revolution as it will change the NHS into a community health service powered by technology, which will keep people out of hospitals, as much as possible.
Streeting also observed that the need for patients to maintain their relationship with their GP and the principle of free at the point of need, are fundamental to the plan. Also, reducing appointment waiting times is one of the areas identified as a challenge.
Wes Streeting said: “Our 10-year health plan is definitely going to turn the NHS on its head… and yes, it is all because of automation, which will prevent hospitalization.”
Challenges in Staffing and Resources
While many welcome the plan, including the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), concerns have been raised about the NHS's ability to deliver on these ambitious reforms due to staff shortages. Nicola Ranger, the RCN's general secretary, pointed out that there are not enough nurses to provide the level of community care envisioned.
She warned that without new investment, the number of community nurses will continue to decline, potentially halving from what it was two decades ago. Ranger added, “Nursing staff are ready to help deliver the modernization our health service needs, but staff are overworked and chronically undervalued.”
Budget and Future Investment
The NHS is expected to see a real-terms budget increase when the Chancellor announces her spending plans at the end of October. While government insiders have dismissed reports of a 3-4% budget increase, health policy experts argue that such funding would be necessary to implement Labour’s plans and tackle the issue of growing waiting lists.