IMPACT OF HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE ON MENTAL HEALTH

Introduction

As per the research of Barr (2016), the mental health crisis in the United Kingdom is imminent. Although the treatments for cancer and heart disease, the two most common diseases in history, have improved, the life expectancy of Britain’s is still shrinking. In addition, the number of deaths from accidental injuries such as suicides and excessive drug use has also increased in the past two reporting years. The United Kingdom is one of the countries in the world to conduct health strategy research earlier. The UK’s health strategy is closely linked to the reform and development of its NHS (National Health Service) system. The implementation of the national health strategy runs through the reform and development process of the NHS system. In the process of formulating a health strategy, a gradual transition from top to bottom is adopted. In the near-term strategy formulation, the public can participate extensively, attach importance to social resources and capital, and mobilize all sectors of society to participate in health reform and development. This essay is going to examine the impact of various initiatives taken by the UK healthcare industry, and their influence on the mental health of one individual.

Discussion

Thomas (2018) elaborates that by focusing on quality and efficiency, it highlights the concern for vulnerable groups and emphasizes the fairness of access to health services. The NHS has paid serious attention to health investment and pay attention to the supporting role of human, financial and material resources in the reform of the national health system. Focus on the development of science and technology, and apply information technology to the NHS in time to improve the efficiency of the NHS. Based on changes in the needs of residents’ health services, timely adjustment of health strategies is generally a strategic cycle of 5 to 10 years.

As per the research of Grist (2017), in 1989, the lack of efficiency of the NHS system at the time, especially the long waiting time for hospitalization, caused strong dissatisfaction among the general public, which cause them to have negative outcomes  for the mental health. The government published a white paper on the reform of the NHS. The reform emphasizes the principle of multi-level, wide coverage and fair medical treatment, and implements reform measures from three main aspects: health institutions, health management departments and general practitioners, which will design viable means for having positive mental healthcare measures.

First, health institutions first require large hospitals, followed by all other health-related institutions and health associations to become self-managed, self-managed NHS health organizations (Doran et al., 2016). Second, in the health management department, the functions are transformed, from managers to buyers, and services are purchased from public or private health organizations through contractual methods based on comparison of prices and service quality. Third, in terms of general practitioners, 1 the GP retirement age for the NHS service is 70 years old; 2 the GP is paid by head, and the proportion of registered residents’ head fees in the total GP income is increased from 40% to 60%. %, special allowance for GPs operating in poverty-stricken areas, raising the cost of heads of children over 75 years old and children under 5 years; 3 introducing GP budget ownership plan, which provides an ease to the people if they have to suffer a huge monetary burden in terms to cure the disease.

Hutchison (2016) further defines that in November 1997, the British Ministry of Health issued a white paper proposing a 10-year plan for NHS reform. The plan is based on six basic principles: adherence to broad coverage, equal access to medical care, and the principle of equality for all; further decentralization of power, local governments have the power to determine the level of supply of local health services; break down departmental barriers, emphasize a spirit of cooperation; improve efficiency and eliminate bureaucracy, Ensure that every penny of the NHS is spent on patients; to ensure the quality of medical services while controlling costs; to re-establish social confidence in the NHS, so that the NHS system becomes a health service system that the whole nation can trust.

In 2001, Prime Minister Blair asked the health department to conduct research on long-term health development strategies. In March of that year, the research work on “Getting Healthy in the Future – From a Long-Term Perspective” was officially launched. After two years of efforts, the research team led by Dr. Derek Wanless systematically developed the national health service system for the next 20 years. The analysis presents a long-term strategy for the development of health in the UK (Rathod et al., 2017). The study also proposes two goals for health system reform and development based on the state of health development in the UK and the challenges it faces: one is to eliminate unacceptable gaps in domestic health system performance; the other is to eliminate and other The gap in health system performance in developed countries. Based on these two objectives, the study proposes three supporting systems needed to achieve the goals: health resources, human resources, information and technology resources; and, at the same time, systematically analyzes the main factors affecting access to these resources: the quality of health services and their sustainability Sexuality, changing expectations of patients and society, advances in medical technology, demographic changes and the evolving health needs they generate, the price of health services resources (including the price of human resources), and productivity. Finally, the experts also proposed to evaluate the health workforce, information and technology resources needed to achieve the strategic plan objectives every five years or so.

In addition, the study also looks into the UK’s NHS in 2022. The report states that the UK’s NHS should be committed to achieving high standards of clinical care in 2022 to meet the growing health expectations of patients and society, ie patient-centered To ensure the safety of health service supply and demand, and to provide high quality, fast and comfortable medical services. In 2007, the goals of the NHS Investment and Reform Program were basically completed. As a result, the UK Ministry of Health commissioned Dr. Lord Darzi to conduct a project study on the “NHS, Our Future” report, which reviewed the reform and development process of the NHS in the last 10 years (Richards et al., 2016). The interaction of patients, residents, and health transfer personnel systematically reviewed the adjustments faced by the NHS reform and development and proposed the future direction and strategy of the NHS (Kapur et al., 2016). The four challenges facing the NHS are: NHS personnel must ensure that clinical decision-making is the core and service delivery model of the future NHS; improving patient care, including providing high-quality and continuous services to patients with chronic, fatal diseases, ensuring patients are protected Respect and enjoy a safe and clean environment; provide convenient and accessible health care services, integrate primary health care and secondary health care services; improve the utilization of health resources and provide patients with the most appropriate health care services.

At the same time, the research report proposes a new NHS vision: to provide world-class quality health care services, mainly including the following aspects: 1 Fairness: full consideration of the fairness of accessibility based on individual and diversity; 2 Personalization: meet everyone’s needs and long-term needs, especially the most vulnerable people, so that they can get services at the time and place of choice; 3 effectiveness: emphasize that the service effect of patients should be the best in the world; 4 Ensure safety and give confidence to patients and residents when they receive health services (Barr et al., 2016). In addition, in order to achieve this vision, the research report proposes the following: 1 Enhance the service capacity of NHS and focus on improving the quality of health services; 2 Encourage NHS staff and other relevant personnel to provide personalized health care services for patients and residents; 3 Transform leadership style: effectively meet patient needs, participate in NHS decision-making, and respond quickly to patient needs and choices based on evidence-based evidence; 4 the federal government should support local health reforms instead of directing local health reforms, And provide appropriate incentives for local reforms; 5 make full use of limited health resources to provide efficient and high-quality health care services.

Thomas (2018) defines that in the UK multiple healthcare systems were stopped, and the NHS made it possible to reverse the decline in life expectancy and even a wave of gains. In fact, to prevent and treat mental illness, doctors also need to undergo a series of medical interventions and behavioral changes. Therefore, if mental health can be integrated into the primary health care system, then healthcare practitioners can treat mental illness like smoking, diabetes and asthma. The coverage of health care coverage for mental health treatment is an important research area of ​​national and laws such as the Healthcare Act 2010, and a necessary solution for life expectancy crisis, although it is not complete. In order to improve the health of Britain’s in the long run, the NHS has broke the current status of psychological health care – “separate treatment, and treat each other.” On the other side, it has been determined that NHS has introduced new means to induce a measure to establish psychological and physiological association between the patient and nurse in terms to have sustainable approaches for better mental health of the patient.

Grist (2017) suggested that increasing the pool of psychiatrists and psychologists can address the mental health challenges of the United Kingdom. The British government points out that about 124 million people – nearly 40% of Britain’s – live in areas that lack mental health experts. In the United Kingdom, more than 60% of the county, a psychiatrist did not. These data indicate that the United Kingdom should expand the mental health treatment training of medical schools and create related projects in areas with low service levels for expert practice.

Hutchison (2016) highlights the significance of integrated medical insurance system.  First, the healthcare practitioners should redefine primary care. With the right incentives and workflow, primary care physicians will not only advise patients to quit, but also provide basic mental health counseling services and probe patients for suicidal tendencies. Since nurses can follow up with patients and ensure they receive colonoscopy, they can also ensure that patients are prescribed psychological counseling. Since local pharmacies can provide vaccinations, they can also provide a “mental health check”. It has been determined that NHS has ensured that the hospital also invest in a peer group that builds a postpartum depression prevention program. Similarly, doctors can follow the first-line treatment of chronic diseases, adding cognitive behavioral therapy and physical therapy to the practice of mental illness treatment, rather than being limited to opium.

On the other side, it has been analysed that increase support for perinatal mental health conditions . The NHS considers this point a priority, remembering that approximately one in four women experience mental health problems during pregnancy and during the 24 months after delivery. The lack of access to prenatal mental health care translates, according to the document, into a cost for the Health System of 1.2 billion pounds per year. In this regard, the Long-term Plan aims to improve access and quality of prenatal mental health care for mothers, their parents / partners and children, expanding access to evidence-based psychological therapies within the specialized prenatal mental health services, which will provide care from preconception to 24 months after birth (care is currently offered up to 12 months) (Richards et al., 2016).

Conclusion

This essay has defined the how NHS has induced significant means in terms to induce sustainable means for the betterment of mental health. This essay has defined various lacks identified in the NHS systems, and the new initiatives are also explained, which highlights the new and innovative features introduced by NHS to have sustainable mental healthcare system.

References

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• Grist, R., Porter, J. and Stallard, P., 2017. Mental health mobile apps for preadolescents and adolescents: a systematic review. Journal of medical internet research, 19(5), p.e176.
• Hutchison, J.S., 2016. Scandals in health‐care: their impact on health policy and nursing. Nursing inquiry, 23(1), pp.32-41.
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• Richards, T., Snow, R. and Schroter, S., 2016. Co-creating health: more than a dream.
• Thomas, F., Hansford, L., Ford, J., Wyatt, K., McCabe, R. and Byng, R., 2018. Moral narratives and mental health: rethinking understandings of distress and healthcare support in contexts of austerity and welfare reform. Palgrave Communications, 4(1), p.39.