The name Wes Streeting, the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has ranked highly in many a conversation over the past two weeks. Leading the Healthcare Practice here at New Street Consulting Group, Denise Raw takes a look at what Mr Streeting may decide to do with the Healthcare system and its impact on the Interim marketplace.
There is no question, positive improvements can and need to be made to our Healthcare system. Reducing the ever-increasing waiting lists, which continue to be supported by the Private Sector, are undoubtedly extremely high up the priority list. Change is very much ahead, and we all wait with anticipation to see how this is tackled and what impact it will have on us.
With an interim management lens, it’s been understandable that most have wondered what is next on the NHS Agenda. At the same time as NHS Trusts are crying out for support, they are battling tight budgets, which in turn impact their ability to contract the quality and level of support they need.
Private Providers and Trusts need to maximise their ability to reduce long waiting lists by deploying flexible support in the right places at the right times, but there seems to be a limit to that being undertaken just now. Why? Is it purely financial? Surely, with some smart thinking and flexible options, we will see a reduction in waiting lists if we are creative in our approach. The layers of bureaucracy need to be reduced and considered and a much more streamlined and updated systematic approach needs considering. It is time for a modern approach to speed up where we are behind. Without the Private Providers how would the NHS operate alone, interesting question?
Separately, other areas of the interim healthcare landscape remain busy, particularly around new build, programmes of work, Estates and Project and some exciting innovations in the world of Pharma. All of which demonstrate a healthy demand for interim leaders across healthcare as change agents. Senior Interim leadership roles within healthcare are also popping up regularly.
Prevention is high on the Agenda, and we’re seeing ground breaking launches of new products coming to market, which are potentially life changing and will take the market by storm.
We’ll also likely see more mergers and acquisitions in the world of PE backed healthcare as this area has been strategically “carefully confident” plotting its next move. There are still funds waiting to be deployed into the next innovative investment when it presents itself.
What is the most important factor though, is the “patient always comes first” and how can Labour improve the services that are offered currently in a timelier and more rewarding way for the patient.
All bias aside, Wes Streeting, would do well to bring together those with experience and track record from the sector, particularly those who are responsible for positive outcomes at leadership level, interim or full time and listen very carefully to what they have to say.
Whatever changes are to be made, it will most definitely impact those that work in both Private Care and NHS. It will be interesting to see where we will be in 5 years’ time and the impact on patients, and as the UK’s number one Interim Service Provider, how much of a role the interim community will have played.
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