more time for other patients,” she says. “It also gave me the opportunity to work in a different way and expose my team to a different way of working.”
The neighbourhood that could hold the secret to fixing the NHS
Scale and sustainability
But scaling up models like Washwood Heath is what is likely to prove the biggest challenge.
Dr David Bailey, from the University of Birmingham, suggests that while the pilot has been successful, it remains to be seen if it can be replicated nationally. “If all Britain’s GPs, for example, were to hire – and train – the staff now working at Washwood Heath, where would they find them all?” he says.
Dr Bailey also points to the high demand for staff following Brexit, which has posed a recruitment challenge for the NHS.
Also, GP practices are under significant pressure already, seeing 30% more patients than they were 10 years ago. How could they take on more? And there’s also the issue of funding – where will the money come from?
Nonetheless, the Health Secretary is clear that, if Washwood works, it will be funded to expand it. This will involve involving the “bankers sitting in Whitehall” and “big corporates”. Asked if the model will be rolled out to other parts of the UK or beyond, Streeting told the BBC: “If it works, it would be bewildering not to adopt it across the country.”
In the end, perhaps it will come down to whether policymakers think achieving a new kind of healthcare model is more important than targeting service to local needs. The political choice is shaping up to be a significant one.
By Nick Triggle
