As a nation, we are immensely proud of our NHS. But we have to be honest with you. Right now, it is in serious trouble. Many parts of the NHS in our area are in great difficulty. Things may sometimes seem broken but we know they can be fixed.
We want to build a health and care system that’s fit to respond to today’s challenges and also be there to meet the demands of the coming decades. We all want the NHS to be here for us as we grow older as well as for our children and grandchildren.
We want to do things differently and we want to do it together.
We need to talk
This autumn, the local NHS across Humber and North Yorkshire is embarking on We Need to Talk. Over four weeks, we want your ideas on how we can:
- Use technology better
- Improve the way we plan and organise our workforce to boost efficiency, adaptability and job satisfaction
- Focus on preventing illness rather than just treating it
- Listen to your needs and involve everyone in this conversation
- Move more care into the community
- Ensure patient safety and consistent high-quality care everywhere
- Focus on what matters most
You can let us know what you think and share your thoughts by completing our short survey an easy read version is also available.
More information is available on this page or you can read our Case for Change document. If you need further help or support please email hnyicb.engagement@nhs.net
We want to write the next chapter for our NHS
Those of us working in the NHS in our region want:
- To prevent illness and catch problems early so you stay healthier for longer, wherever you live
- You to be involved in decisions about your care and to help you manage your health conditions as much as you can
- Health and care services to work better together, with improved teamwork between everyone involved in your care
- To bring more routine care closer to home, making it easier to access in your community and reducing trips to hospital
- To use technology to make it easier for you to access care, streamline appointments, and support online health services
- More centres of excellence providing the best care for your condition when you need it
- To learn better, using data to help us design better services, find areas for improvement, and track our progress
- A diverse workforce that represents all our communities and that is proud
Why our NHS needs to change
Despite all our best efforts, we know that we are not always providing the care you expect. Without action, we know many of the issues we’re facing will only get worse and we are concerned about the impact this would have on people’s health and care.
Quite simply, demand (for our services) is outstripping supply. This is not inevitable though, especially if we act now to address the challenges head on.
Our local NHS and wider health services are responding and making changes but we know they have not gone far enough. Without radical action, the quality of the services we deliver – and the lives people have – will become more difficult as we face a perfect storm of issues.
We need to make even bolder changes to provide safe and appropriate services which we can confidently keep going with the staff and money we have available now and are predicted to have in the future.
What we think matters
As we look ahead to the future of the NHS, we believe:
People should have easy access to general health and care services – like primary care, mental health support, outpatient care, social care and end of life care – in a coordinated way, as close to home as possible.
For planned treatments, everyone should receive the best quality care promptly. In some cases, this might mean traveling to specialist centres/centres of excellence that offer expert care to ensure better outcomes.
We aim to identify health and care needs in our population as early as possible and deliver targeted services that are best suited to meet those needs.
People should have access to same-day urgent care in the most appropriate setting, such such as at a doctor’s surgery or in a community centre, while emergency care will be available at specific hospital sites for the best outcomes.
Specialist health and mental health services, which people need less frequently, will be provided efficiently at larger scale centres, possibly in a single location, to ensure high-quality care and better outcomes when it’s most needed.
Before further developing our thinking, we want to know what matters most to you.
Campaign resources
If you or your organisation would like to get involved in supporting the campaign, you can find our toolkit and resources online.