Outlook for the public sector 2024
This annual event sees health and care leaders provide an overview of the system pressures, funding and staffing issues in health and care and makes recommendations for future focus in improved care and delivering positive changes to population health.
John Jackson, National Care Health Improvement Advisor outlined the headline spending on social care - this has significantly increased in recent years - with local authority spending seeing an overall 8% increase in spending while spending on older people has increased by 12% with further spending increases predicted for 2024/25.
This is being driven by more older people and people needing complex care and more young adults with special needs and learning disabilities along with rising costs due to living wage pay increases. In 2020 the institute of Fiscal Studies estimated that at least £1.5bn was needed to provide stability & avoid serious risks to care providers. This was not addressed by the Fair Cost of Care exercise.
Sarah Woolnough, CEO of The Kings Fund described the health inequalities endemic in the UK, differences of healthy life expectancy in different parts of the UK and stated that a conversation is needed about the future of health system in light of the demographic pressures.
The annual survey Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care demonstrates that low satisfaction in services now in uncharted territory. The results are bleak but should not be surprising after a year of strikes, scandals and sustained long waits for care. Despite the challenges the NHS is currently facing, the public are not looking for changes to the principles of the NHS. They do not want a different model – they want the one they have got to work. They are clear they want to see improvements in waiting times, funding and staff numbers. Despite the current challenging economic climate, nearly half of the public (48%) support the government increasing taxes to spend more on the NHS.
She made three key recommendations on how could a new government improve health services;
1. Investing in primary & community care
2. Developing and growing the workforce
3. Tackling health inequalities.
Matthew Taylor, CEO of NHS Confederation started with good news - this year has seen some improvement in the longest waiting lists, urgent & emergency care indicators but progress towards key targets from 10 years ago is fragile. The immediate future offers opportunities for using different care models & use of tech & innovation
However, funding is the key issue to delivery improvement. As this is an election year, there has been an increase in targets and micromanaging which adds further pressures on NHS leaders. Workforce issues and lack of ability to roll out capital spending remain both remain pressures on systems.
