Weny Knoops
Within the UK and globally, there has been a change focusing on accessing digital health care. With patients living remotely or having health conditions that limit travel, this has been a huge advantage to have ongoing health care. Digital health is also progressing to enable patients to access information, about their own health and how to access services.
At the same time, health care services and provision in the UK has been affected by an increase in demand with a decrease in staffing and funding. This has led to NHS services being overwhelmed and lengthening patient waiting lists. We have seen waiting lists increase not only for surgical procedures, but also for assessments and management of medical conditions.
As a result of the inability to access NHS services, some patients have opted for private healthcare. We are now seeing an increase in use and development of private health care services in the UK.
With decrease in NHS services, this has led to significant challenges for patients accessing primary care and secondary care in the UK. For some women’s health conditions, it can take years to receive a diagnosis and then start appropriate management. In women’s health, these conditions affect quality of life and wellbeing, leading to an impact on their family, society and careers. Although private care services are developing, many patients find themselves affected financially and may not be able to access the care required when they need it.
Patients are now more aware of digital health but also look at social media for health information. The challenge with social media in health care is that it is not regulated by professional bodies and can be factually incorrect. This leaves patients with inaccurate information and potentially misdiagnosing and mismanaging their symptoms. Ensuring access to reliable information can be difficult when patients do not know where to find this.
The main focus should be on patient self awareness and education with access to reliable information and health care services. This is a combination of using a digital health care platform with access to government funded and private services. The platform should contain accurate health information that can be personalised to the patient’s symptoms and condition. It should link directly to preferred health care providers, consisting of a range of services. These services work in collaboration to provide community care in pharmacies, primary care health centres and specialised primary care hubs. They should be able to offer NHS services with the additional option of private services.
The catalyst in this will need to be NHS trusts and government change towards a hybrid health system where a significant proportion of funding is allocated for such community services. It is important that these services work in collaboration with each other and digital health care to be able to share care safely.
