Latest news with #NHS
Powys County Times
41 minutes ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
UK ‘long overdue' a conversation about NHS funding, says Javid
Former chancellor Sir Sajid Javid has said that the UK is 'long overdue' a 'serious conversation with taxpayers about how we continue funding' the NHS, as he introduced a report that backs a shift towards a social insurance model. Sir Sajid, also a former health secretary, said the country 'cannot afford' to 'bury our heads in the sand' when it comes to how the UK pays for healthcare. His comments are part of the foreword for the PolicyExchange's report The NHS – A Suitable Case For Treatment. The centre-right thinktank suggests that 'better quality healthcare' could be delivered 'by moving from our present entirely socialised model to a hybrid model with a significant social insurance component'. They also advocate changes such as removing free prescriptions for over-60s, but the report says that 'under no circumstances' should the UK try to replicate the US model of healthcare. Introducing the paper, Sir Sajid described the NHS as 'one of our country's most treasured and beloved national institutions'. 'We've come to a crossroads. A serious conversation with taxpayers about how we continue funding their favourite national institution is long overdue,' he said. He said that the UK is left with the options of putting more money into healthcare through tax rises or 'reforming' the system. 'What we cannot afford to do is to bury our heads in the sand,' he added. 'The responsible politician, the one who is concerned with the national interest, must look at every option for reform,' Sir Sajid said. The PolicyExchange report says that 'under no circumstances should the UK consider moving towards the US model', but that other countries 'with some sort of insurance-based model do much better' such as France, Germany and Singapore. 'We believe that better quality healthcare with universal coverage and improved long-term funding sustainability could be secured by moving from our present entirely socialised model to a hybrid model with a significant social insurance component,' the report says. Alongside a shift towards a 'social-insurance based system of financing healthcare', the thinktank made a number of recommendations for reforms that could be made within the existing NHS model. Among the changes the PolicyExchange suggest are a £20 charge for visiting a GP, with low-income groups exempt. They also say that people over 60 should no longer be universally eligible for free prescriptions, and the exemption should be determined by your income. They also advocate charges for 'more luxurious hospital accommodation', which they say could raise £700million. PolicyExchange advocate a system where universal healthcare coverage is available, and a basic model can be supplemented by other policies. The Government would regulate insurers and healthcare providers, and they say the system should still be called the NHS, with the main change being the way it is financed.
Powys County Times
41 minutes ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
Council overspend on social care highest in decade amid warning over NHS plan
Recent overspend by councils in England on their adult social care budgets was the highest in a decade, according to a major survey. The annual report from care leaders warned that due to the current state of the sector – which campaigners have long argued has not been prioritised or had adequate investment – the Government's aim to shift more care into the community could be undermined. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) said the financial situation 'is as bad as it has been in recent history' with council overspend on adult social care budgets in the year to March hitting around £774 million. This was up from £586 million in the previous year and is the highest level for at least a decade, Adass said. Its survey – which had responses from 91% of directors of adult social services in England – also showed care leaders have reduced spending on prevention by 11% this year. Just 5.6% of this year's total adult social care net budget is projected to be spent on prevention. Adass said this lowest recorded spend is because overstretched budgets mean care leaders have had to prioritise immediate needs and people in crisis. Earlier this month Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting unveiled their 10-year NHS plan which they vowed would 'fundamentally rewire' the health service and put care on people's doorsteps. The plan set out how the NHS will move from treatment to prevention and from hospital to more care shifted into neighbourhoods and people's homes. But Adass president Jess McGregor said: 'Without more investment to keep people well and independent at home, we risk undermining the shift towards prevention and neighbourhood health that Wes Streeting, the NHS and this Government are rightly championing.' The overall overspend is 'likely to result in councils further tightening the eligibility criteria for social care, so they can deliver their legal obligations, leaving very little left for preventative measures that would likely save the state money in the longer term and most importantly, improve outcomes for people', Adass said. Ms McGregor said: 'The maths simply doesn't add up – more people are coming to councils for help and their care is complex and costly, which means we don't have funds left to provide the early support and prevention that would stop people's health from deteriorating and help them avoid spiralling into crisis, where they frequently end up in hospital.' The spending review published last month stated there would be an increase of more than £4 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028-29, compared with 2025-26. But Adass said there remains 'uncertainty' about what that figure covers, including whether it takes in the 'much-needed but costly fair pay agreement for care workers', which is yet to be set out by the Government. Ms McGregor repeated a call for social care to be prioritised, saying: 'It's vital that adult social care leaders who are well versed in delivering support at the community level are meaningfully involved in decisions about where and how resources for neighbourhood health and care are spent. 'After all, acute hospitals are not best placed to deliver social care at the neighbourhood level – but councils are.' The Local Government Association (LGA) said the survey results show 'councils are caught in the impossible position' of choosing between meeting people's complex care needs and supporting other's wellbeing to prevent needs escalating. The LGA added: 'Local government is best placed to lead this shift and deliver neighbourhood-level care, but it cannot do so with one hand tied behind its back by underfunding.' Mr Streeting has previously said social care 'has to be part' of neighbourhood health, adding: 'In the context of this plan, social care features because it has a role to play on admission avoidance and speeding up delayed discharges.' The Casey Commission, launched earlier this year, aims to set out a plan to implement a national care service, but social care leaders have previously raised concerns over the potential timeline of 2036 for some recommended reforms to be introduced. The first phase is expected to report in 2026, although recommendations from the initial probe will be implemented in phases over the course of 10 years. The second phase of the commission, setting out longer-term reforms, is due to report by 2028. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We inherited a social care system in crisis but in our first year of government we have taken immediate action to improve this. 'The spending review will allow for increased funding for social care by £4 billion, we have legislated for the first ever fair pay agreement for care workers, and Baroness Casey has begun her work on the independent commission into adult social care to build a National Care Service that is fair and affordable for all. 'We have also invested £172 million extra in the Disabled Facilities Grant to deliver around an extra 15,000 home adaptations and given unpaid carers a £2,000 uplift to their allowance.'
South Wales Guardian
44 minutes ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Council overspend on social care highest in decade amid warning over NHS plan
The annual report from care leaders warned that due to the current state of the sector – which campaigners have long argued has not been prioritised or had adequate investment – the Government's aim to shift more care into the community could be undermined. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) said the financial situation 'is as bad as it has been in recent history' with council overspend on adult social care budgets in the year to March hitting around £774 million. This was up from £586 million in the previous year and is the highest level for at least a decade, Adass said. Its survey – which had responses from 91% of directors of adult social services in England – also showed care leaders have reduced spending on prevention by 11% this year. Just 5.6% of this year's total adult social care net budget is projected to be spent on prevention. Adass said this lowest recorded spend is because overstretched budgets mean care leaders have had to prioritise immediate needs and people in crisis. Earlier this month Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting unveiled their 10-year NHS plan which they vowed would 'fundamentally rewire' the health service and put care on people's doorsteps. The plan set out how the NHS will move from treatment to prevention and from hospital to more care shifted into neighbourhoods and people's homes. But Adass president Jess McGregor said: 'Without more investment to keep people well and independent at home, we risk undermining the shift towards prevention and neighbourhood health that Wes Streeting, the NHS and this Government are rightly championing.' The overall overspend is 'likely to result in councils further tightening the eligibility criteria for social care, so they can deliver their legal obligations, leaving very little left for preventative measures that would likely save the state money in the longer term and most importantly, improve outcomes for people', Adass said. Ms McGregor said: 'The maths simply doesn't add up – more people are coming to councils for help and their care is complex and costly, which means we don't have funds left to provide the early support and prevention that would stop people's health from deteriorating and help them avoid spiralling into crisis, where they frequently end up in hospital.' The spending review published last month stated there would be an increase of more than £4 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028-29, compared with 2025-26. But Adass said there remains 'uncertainty' about what that figure covers, including whether it takes in the 'much-needed but costly fair pay agreement for care workers', which is yet to be set out by the Government. Ms McGregor repeated a call for social care to be prioritised, saying: 'It's vital that adult social care leaders who are well versed in delivering support at the community level are meaningfully involved in decisions about where and how resources for neighbourhood health and care are spent. 'After all, acute hospitals are not best placed to deliver social care at the neighbourhood level – but councils are.' The Local Government Association (LGA) said the survey results show 'councils are caught in the impossible position' of choosing between meeting people's complex care needs and supporting other's wellbeing to prevent needs escalating. The LGA added: 'Local government is best placed to lead this shift and deliver neighbourhood-level care, but it cannot do so with one hand tied behind its back by underfunding.' Mr Streeting has previously said social care 'has to be part' of neighbourhood health, adding: 'In the context of this plan, social care features because it has a role to play on admission avoidance and speeding up delayed discharges.' The Casey Commission, launched earlier this year, aims to set out a plan to implement a national care service, but social care leaders have previously raised concerns over the potential timeline of 2036 for some recommended reforms to be introduced. The first phase is expected to report in 2026, although recommendations from the initial probe will be implemented in phases over the course of 10 years. The second phase of the commission, setting out longer-term reforms, is due to report by 2028. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We inherited a social care system in crisis but in our first year of government we have taken immediate action to improve this. 'The spending review will allow for increased funding for social care by £4 billion, we have legislated for the first ever fair pay agreement for care workers, and Baroness Casey has begun her work on the independent commission into adult social care to build a National Care Service that is fair and affordable for all. 'We have also invested £172 million extra in the Disabled Facilities Grant to deliver around an extra 15,000 home adaptations and given unpaid carers a £2,000 uplift to their allowance.'
South Wales Guardian
44 minutes ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Less aggressive treatment for low-risk breast cancer ‘just as effective'
The technique, which has since been adopted by the NHS, has 'transformed' the way the disease is treated in its early stages, researchers said. More than 37,000 women have radiotherapy for breast cancer in the UK every year. The treatment uses radiation to kill cancer cells and is usually given after surgery to reduce the risk of the disease coming back. However, side-effects can include changes in breast size and shape, swelling in the arms or breast, and pain. The Import Low trial, led by The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the University of Cambridge, found limiting radiation to the tumour area, rather than treating the whole breast, was just as effective. The study included 2,018 women across 30 radiotherapy centres in the UK, who were monitored for 10 years after treatment. It compared three radiotherapy approaches; whole-breast, partial-breast and a reduced-dose. After a decade, cancer recurrence rates in the group given partial radiotherapy was 3%, the same proportion as those who had been treated with a more aggressive approach. Patients who had targeted radiotherapy were also less likely to experience long-term changes in breast appearance. Some 15% reported noticeable changes at five years compared with 27% in the whole-breast radiotherapy group. Dr Anna Kirby, consultant clinical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and reader in breast cancer radiotherapy at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: 'The long-term results of this study confirm that a less aggressive approach, limiting radiotherapy to the tumour rather than the whole breast, is just as effective as traditional whole-breast radiotherapy. 'Patients receiving partial-breast radiotherapy experience fewer side-effects while maintaining excellent cancer control.' Charlotte Coles, a professor of breast cancer clinical oncology at the University of Cambridge, honorary clinical oncology consultant at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and chief investigator of the Import Low study, said the trial has 'transformed' how early breast cancer is treated. Following the study, which is published in the Lancet Oncology, partial-breast radiotherapy has been integrated into NHS treatment guidelines. It is hoped that more than 9,000 women in the UK could benefit from more targeted treatment. 'By targeting the area around the tumour, rather than the whole breast, we have demonstrated that patients can achieve the same outstanding long-term outcomes with fewer complications,' Prof Coles said. 'This approach is now widely adopted across the NHS, sparing thousands of women from unnecessary radiation exposure. 'The results of this study have not only shaped UK clinical practice but also informed international guidelines, ensuring that women worldwide benefit from this personalised, evidence-based treatment.' Hilary Stobart, now 70, was diagnosed with ER-positive breast cancer in December 2008, with a 2cm tumour in her left breast. Ms Stobart, who was 54 at the time, was offered the chance to take part in the trial after surgery and was treated with partial radiotherapy. 'I had three weeks of radiotherapy, but suffered no side-effects, other than some soreness in my breast and nipple in the first few weeks,' she said. 'Ten years on, I am doing fine. I have no side-effects and no recurrence of disease. 'For me personally, I am very thankful to have received the lowest dose of radiotherapy. 'Whilst I may have had some niggling worries in the early days, having seen the results of the trial, I feel positive and optimistic now. I know that I was lucky enough back then to have had the best treatment, a treatment that other women will be routinely offered now.' Dr Fay Cafferty, lead statistician at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, added that the findings are 'crucial in reinforcing the long-term safety and effectiveness of partial-breast radiotherapy'. 'Long-term data is vital to ensure we know there's no greater risk of breast cancer returning after this targeted radiotherapy treatment,' she said. 'This latest analysis confirms that partial breast radiotherapy remains a safe and effective treatment option, supporting its continued adoption as the standard of care in the UK and globally.'
South Wales Guardian
44 minutes ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Hundreds of cystic fibrosis patients become eligible for ‘life-changing' therapy
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has given the green light for the NHS to give patients Alyftrek, a type of modulator therapy which works to tackle the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is caused by a faulty gene that affects the production of a protein called CFTR. Modulator drugs work by helping to make the CFTR protein work effectively. NHS officials said the treatments can 'transform' life expectancy and quality of life for patients. There are a number of modulator therapies available but some patients with the rarest forms of the disease have been unable to access them until now. Nice approved Alyftrek, which is known as a triple therapy, for patients aged six and over for the most common form of CF as an alternative to another treatment called Kaftrio. And NHS England announced that the treatment would also be made available for children and adults with rare forms of cystic fibrosis, who have not previously been eligible for modulator therapy. NHS England said the move allows patients with the rarest form of the disease to access the latest treatments, including Alyftrek and Kaftrio, for the first time. It said that 95% of people with cystic fibrosis in England will now be eligible for modulator therapy. The new drug, also known as vanza triple, has been found to be as effective as current drug Kaftrio in clinical trials in improving and maintaining lung function in people with CF. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the triple combination medicine – which is also known as deutivacaftor/tezacaftor/vanzacaftor – for use in the UK, for certain patients with CF over the age of six, in March. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system which leads to breathing difficulties and serious infections. John Stewart, NHS England's director for specialised commissioning, said: 'This is a major leap forward for hundreds of patients living with the rarest forms of cystic fibrosis, offering fresh hope of a better quality of life. 'Access to a once-daily treatment at home can make an enormous difference to patients and their families – reducing the burden of hospital appointments and allowing children and young people to live more freely and independently. 'For those living with the rarest forms of the condition, this represents the very first time they will be able to access this new standard of care that has been so transformative for many since 2019. 'The rollout of this life-changing therapy demonstrates how the NHS continues to embrace innovation to deliver significant improvements in care for patients across the country at a fair price for the taxpayer.' Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at Nice, said: 'CFTR modulators are already revolutionising the way cystic fibrosis is treated so we're pleased to be able to recommend Alyftrek, the latest of this type of treatment that has been shown to be effective, with significant benefits for people with the condition.' David Ramsden, chief executive of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: 'Today's announcements are another positive step in the journey to better treatments for everyone with cystic fibrosis – a lifelong, life-limiting condition without a cure. 'It's thanks to the incredible support and many years of campaigning of the CF community, and the work of all our partners, that modulator drugs are now a treatment option for thousands of people.' Ludovic Fenaux, senior vice president at Vertex International, said the move 'represents a significant milestone in our journey to serially innovate and further improve the lives of people living with this disease'.
