HEALTHCARE DELIVERY ARTICLES

CSJ recently hosted a webinar, sponsored by BIOHIT HealthCare, exploring current and future trends in therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management. Graham Johnson delves into the key points discussed by experts during the session, highlighting the importance of early treatment optimisation, the use of TDM to prevent therapeutic setbacks, and promising new technologies that are advancing patient management.

MPs recently asked the senior leadership of NHS England whether the NHS is well placed to implement the Government’s three healthcare shifts, in an evidence session to the Health and Social Care Committee. The three shifts include: moving care from hospitals to the community, embracing digital transformation, and shifting from treatment to prevention. Louise Frampton reports.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published a report on NHS financial sustainability which claims that there is a ‘lack of fresh thinking and decisive action’ within NHS England and DHSC, combined with ‘overly optimistic planning assumptions’, as the UK’s financial position continues to worsen.

A survey by the CQC, in 2024, showed that many people were positive about their interactions with urgent and emergency care staff, but as the NHS has struggled through the Winter period, ambulance handover delays, ‘corridor care’, and a lack of pain relief have raised concerns.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the future of the NHS and the debate around the ten-year plan. The Prime Minister has said the NHS needs ‘major surgery not just sticking plaster solutions’, but with an exhausted and demoralised workforce, will some of the proposed solutions for change be the final straw for some?

Kate Woodhead considers the actions needed to tackle an uneven playing field in health and to shift the emphasis on to prevention. She looks at some of the key ambitions that have been outlined by NHSE, the Government and Integrated Care Boards, to tackle health inequalities.

Value-based healthcare in the NHS aims to reduce unwarranted variations, improve patient outcomes, optimise resource use and allocation, and minimise costs. Mary Muir provides an insight into the key considerations required to ensure equitable and sustainable healthcare, while improving the experience and outcomes for patients.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the drive to ‘make care closer to home’ and move healthcare away from hospitals where possible. A shift in focus from illness management, to wellness and prevention will be a key aspect of the Government’s ambition – so how can this be achieved?