Stroud MP Dr Simon Opher is calling for a major rethink in the way people use the NHS, arguing that improving health literacy and encouraging self-care could help ease pressure on overstretched services.
Dr Opher is putting forward New Clause 69 to the Health Bill, which would introduce a legal “Duty as to self-care” and require the Government to focus more strongly on preventative health and improving people’s understanding of medical information.
He believes the NHS cannot simply build its way out of the current crisis by adding more beds and hospital capacity.
“We all know the NHS is under immense pressure. The reality is that people use its services twice as much as they did two decades ago. This staggering increase in demand proves that simply expanding hospital capacity and adding beds can no longer solve the pressures facing our healthcare service. We must tackle demand with the same urgency as frontline delivery.
“However, people are not inherently more ill. Rather, behaviours and expectations have changed. We expect more from our health services, while NHS 111 clinical algorithms can often route patients towards GPs or A&E. In an increasingly litigious world, doctors understandably become risk-averse, sometimes resulting in the overtreatment of minor conditions.
“Add social media and the internet, and ‘Dr Google’ can easily terrify even the healthiest individual.
“As Parliament debates the Health Bill this week, I am putting forward New Clause 69, an amendment establishing a ‘Duty as to self-care’. This would legally require the Secretary of State to focus on preventative health and significantly improve health literacy — the ability to understand and act upon medical information so people can make informed decisions about their own health.
“Crucially, we live continually with mild ailments and infections. There is rarely a clean line between being well and being unwell. This understanding must start at school, ensuring that we grow up with a better understanding of our bodies and our health.
“By empowering patients to manage self-treatable conditions independently and make better use of community facilities and pharmacies, this amendment seeks to tackle some of the root causes of overcrowded waiting rooms.
“Unless we improve health literacy, our NHS will remain overwhelmed. We must build a health-literate public that is better equipped to manage its health and wellbeing before illness takes over.
“I believe we can move forward: securing GP appointments in hours or days, while reserving A&E strictly for accidents and emergencies.
“It is possible.”
