NHS long term plan hailed as a “historic moment”

By Ben Coley

It has been revealed that the Prime Minister’s new NHS long term plan could save up to 500,000 lives.

The 10 year plan arrives as part of the 70th anniversary of the NHS. It has been been hailed by Theresa May as a “truly historic moment.”

The plan is focusing on prevention and early detection.

The largest funding increases will be given to community care, GP’s and mental health, so to shift the focus away from hospitals.

Despite these radical proposals unions fear that current understaffing could undermine the Prime Minister’s ambitions.

Many UK trusts are missing all three key waiting time targets for A&E, cancer care and routine operations, not to mention that currently one in eleven posts are vacant.

The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hosptials NHS Trust is one of many trusts that are underperforming. The trust has missed its target of 95%, 85% and 92% for A&E waits less than four hours, Cancer care within 62 days and care within 18 weeks respectively.

The only target that the local Trust has surpassed is 75% of mental health patients receiving therapy within 6 weeks.