Innovation Factor and the Future of the NHS


The NHS today faces enormous challenges. 

To remain sustainable, it needs to adopt new technologies, innovative services and more efficient delivery pathways. We created Innovation Factor to help meet this need. IF makes it easier than ever for NHS staff to bring outdated systems and practices into the 21st century, improve patient experience and better manage limited resources. These are three essential steps to building a successful and sustainable NHS which is fit for the future.
But how and why is the NHS at risk? In this article, we’ll look at the main challenges it faces and the role innovation will play in overcoming them



An ageing population

Health systems all over the world are struggling to cope with the consequences of ageing populations. Advances in medicine, better tackling of infectious diseases and more effective ways of treating cancer are all contributing to a population which now lives longer than ever before.
However, this progress is costly for the NHS. Older people are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions such as dementia,  diabetes and cancer, all of which require long term care and support. The average 65 year old costs the NHS 2.5 times more than the average 30 year old. By 2044 a quarter of the UK population will be over the age of 65.

 
Lifestyle factors

Our changing diet and lifestyle is putting a huge strain on health services. The number of prescriptions given to treat Type 2 diabetes, for example, rose by nearly 35% between 2012 and 2016.  Experts estimate that one third of children leave primary school obese and that by 2035 three quarters of British adults will be either obese or overweight.More money is now spent on treating obesity-related conditions than on the police or fire services.

 
Financial pressures

More money is spent on the NHS today than ever before. Since 1948, the NHS budget has increased consistently from year to year. However, the rate of this increase is currently lower than it ever has been, down to an average of just over 1% per year from 2010-2015.
This problem is not just specific to the UK. Countries across the world are struggling to meet the huge financial pressures emerging from larger, older populations. Becoming more efficient is a key component of meeting these pressures.The Institute for Fiscal Studies has estimated that by 2020 the NHS budget will simply not be large enough to keep pace with the demands of this ageing and growing population.
 

 Structural challenges

When the NHS was created, focus was placed mostly on delivering care through the construction of new district hospitals. However, healthcare need in the UK has changed dramatically since then. With more people suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and dementia, more support is needed for community and social care.
The number of people going to A&E has increased by over a third over 12 years. This is partly due to a serious shortage in community healthcare support, with the number of district nurses in England   reducing by 28% over the past 5 years and council run services also struggling. As a result, more and more people end up visiting (and staying in) hospital.

 
Resistance to innovation

The health and life-science industry as a whole is highly innovative. However, it has proven much harder to spread innovation across the NHS. As Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, says - “the future is already here, just unevenly distributed.”
Innovation Factor will play a key role in tackling this problem, moving to put a culture of innovation at the heart of NHS organisations while making it easier than ever for staff to get feedback and guidance on their innovative ideas.

As someone working in the NHS, there is a lot you can do to help overcome these issues.  By thinking innovatively and creating solutions to the problems and inefficiencies you face on a day-to-day basis, you can make a real difference.

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