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Fresh calls for urgent reform of the NHS by top Medical Director welcomed by the AOP 

Fresh calls for urgent reform of the NHS by top Medical Director welcomed by the AOP 

Sir Stephen Powis, Medical Director of NHS England calls for shift towards community-based care to address mounting pressure on A&E services

The AOP has welcomed the latest call from an NHS England leader, who has said that growing pressure on A&E services demonstrates the need to lock in the shift towards community-based care.

During a speech at the Liverpool Medical Institution, Sir Stephen Powis, Medical Director of NHS England, warned that without urgent reform, nearly half the population could end up in A&E annually by 2034, with attendances increasing by six million each year.

Highlighting the need for a shift towards community-based care to alleviate the mounting pressure on hospitals, he emphasised that 2024 was the busiest year on record for A&Es, with 27 million visits, a figure projected to rise to 33.5 million by 2034.

With long waits in A&E leading to worsening patient outcomes, Sir Stephen strongly encouraged the medical professions to contribute to the upcoming 10-Year Plan for Health, with reform ideas that redress the balance away from hospitals and into community care.

Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of the Association of Optometrists (AOP) said: “We welcome Sir Stephen’s clear message on shifting more care from hospitals to the community. There is a real crisis in our healthcare system and patients are being failed with ever growing waiting lists and times. With the alarming level of strain we are seeing on our A&E departments and the rising number of patients waiting far too long for essential services, radical reform is vital to address the ailing state of the nation’s healthcare.

 

“But there is a solution that is simple. Our commissioned PA Consulting report demonstrates that leveraging the existing clinical skills within High Street optometry can release at least 2 million appointments a year for areas of NHS healthcare, such as A&E. By utilising the clinical expertise across all areas of primary care, we can significantly drive down the pressure faced by hospitals, leading to better access to care for patients, reduced inequalities, and overall improved patient health.”