In an exciting development, nearly a million hospital appointments are expected to be made available as the NHS pushes forward with plans designed to streamline access to specialist care. An investment of £80 million is set to incentivise GPs to take on more specialist referrals in-house by utilising the ‘Advice and Guidance’ (A&G) scheme more effectively.
Currently, patients face excessive waiting times for secondary consultations with hospital consultants – an issue often encountered even when hospital treatment isn’t necessary.
With the updated approach, GPs are encouraged to collaborate closely with hospital specialists prior to making any referrals. This initiative aims to ensure that patients receive the appropriate care at the correct location while also alleviating pressure on hospitals.
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Consequently, many individuals dealing with ailments such as ear, nose and throat issues, age-related hearing loss, tinnitus, and other non-hospital matters will benefit from community-based healthcare.
This innovative strategy is amongst several reforms Labour leader Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting intend to announce come Monday. Mr Streeting points out that these transformations will propel the health service “into the digital age” and significantly reduce patient waiting periods “from 18 months to 18 weeks”, reports the Mirror.
The proposed plan also includes offering patients choices regarding the nature of their follow-up care—whether it’s online or in-person—and provides them with a selection of providers to consider for their treatment. Additionally, efforts will be made to simplify the process for patients seeking follow-up engagements with their chosen providers.
“Shifting care from hospital to the community is one of the three big shifts we will implement to reform the NHS and deliver our Plan for Change, so that our healthcare system is fit for the future,” Mr Streeting stated. “Hundreds of thousands more patients each year will be cared for in the community, which is better for them and less expensive for the taxpayer.”
“To be an outpatient, you shouldn’t have to go into hospital.”
Roughly half of the patients sent for hospital second opinions don’t need hospital treatment at all, and can be treated properly in other settings.
Last year, over 2.4 million A&G requests were submitted by GPs, resulting in around 1.2 million cases being referred for care outside of hospital. Under plans to expand the service the number of requests is expected to rise by up to 1.6 million to 4 million annually.
More conditions that can be treated in the community include breathing problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common lung disease that causes breathing difficulties. Patients experiencing urinary tract issues, such as incontinence, and gastrointestinal conditions could also benefit from the changes.
As well as taking strain off the NHS, the plan will see patients treated more quickly, avoiding the waiting list entirely in many cases. Some 800,000 hospital appointments could be freed up if the scheme goes to plan.
The NHS is set to incentivise GPs with an additional £20 for each referral via the enhanced Advice and Guidance (AandG) system, which is being refined for easier use by practitioners. Amanda Doyle, NHS’ National Director for Primary Care, commented on the volume of work being managed by GPs: “Hardworking GPs are using their expertise to deliver record numbers of appointments, but we know we need to do more to support practices and improve access for patients in the community.”
She went on to highlight the anticipated benefits of the scheme: “That is why the NHS will expand the use of the Advice and Guidance scheme which has already benefited hundreds of thousands of patients and reduced unnecessary outpatient appointments.”
And outlined its significance in tackling current challenges: “This is vital to ensuring we can continue to reduce the NHS waiting list, and together with the measures in the Elective Reform Plan, we will be able to ensure that more people are able to access care on their doorsteps without the need to go to hospital unnecessarily.”