"What does the NHS's Future look like?" by Ayaan Chida

Hello to all of our readers and we are excited to bring you an interesting blog about what the future of the vital NHS could potentially look like. Thank you to our dedicated monthly writer, Ayaan, for this in depth article.

The NHS a public healthcare system for the UK set up by the Clement Attlee Labour Government in particular thought up by ,the then health minister, Aneurin Bevan. From 1948 to 2021 there have been vast improvement through the years to have a holistic and patient centered effective healthcare system in the UK. But what does the future beyond 2021 hold for the NHS? This article aims to find out from artificial intelligence involvement to a more digital future. Artificial intelligence in the NHS:

Artificial intelligence is one aspect of constant innovation that seems highly likely to continue being incorporated within the NHS. Healthcare recruiter ID Medical has made predictions like the fact that within the NHS like further use of smartphone apps to establish direct and clear communication links between the patient and the doctor, (Bell et al, 2020). By 2022 it is seen that “one-click-away” advice from specialists can occur, meaning fewer face to face appointments and, as a result, communications between patients and doctors using an online interface can also help to directly formulate patient treatment plans, so patients are more actively involved with their treatment, (Bell et al, 2020). Public Health England is reviewing within the NHS app the use of online tools and assessments, so patients can check about their own health, the ability by third providers for online patient consultations and improving online patient registration within the system. Currently, within the NHS app, patients can view their medical records, book GP appointments and the app's use of biometric and facial scanning for added security, to name a few advanced features (eu-rm.roadmunk.com, n.d.). The NHS website is also adding some new features moving ahead with the digital times like online mental health campaigning, produced 264 condition profiles to help educate users, understand how to deal with sepsis all online, improve autism content to help accommodate the user interface and even allowed for online urgent mental health support networks available 24/7 so those who need it can urgently speak to a health professional, (eu-rm.roadmunk.com, n.d.). The use of online apps accessible by a mere touchscreen really shows the transformation of medicine in a digital world to be easily accessible by patients for NHS services and allow for the added convenience for the patient. The popular aim by ID Medical is centered around the view that “The whole of the UK will be able to access their maternity records by 2024 and the NHS aims to make digital-consultations the norm across the board, over face-to-face ones, within the next 10 years”, (Bell et al, 2020). This can seem optimistic yet when acknowledging current digital infrastructures directed towards patients in the NHS the next leap forward seems that with enough key investment like from government NHS resources that moving forward digitalizing the NHS seems more likely than not. Patient Healthcare Monitoring:

The NHS deals with over 1 million patients every 36 hours and in 2015/2016 there were 16.252 m total hospital admissions. The total annual attendances at Accident & Emergency departments were 23.372 m in 2016/17 which is 23.5 per cent higher than a decade earlier which then was 18.922 m, (Nhsconfed.org, 2017). Patient monitoring seems a key part of the NHS to ensue preventative medicine is practiced and to alert health practitioners for any early warning symptom signs within patients since patient health is a key fundamental pillar within the NHS. The aim is that “By 2025, blood samples will be taken at birth and analyzed to identify the health issues a person’s DNA makes them predisposed to”, (Bell et al, 2020). By involving further patient testing this helps to diagnose as early as possible any healthcare problems for patients so that medicine becomes more tailored and personalized allowing that the patient remains center to the treatment and early treatment allows diseases to cause less further life harm. This also conveniently adds to drawing up the patient's healthcare roadmap that in their lifetime can involve planned times for vaccinations, gene therapies or even needed surgery. Healthcare monitoring for the patient can also be by wearable devices like smart wearable devices which at times has helped to analyse bacteria in a patient's gut to personalize a custom nutrition plan to help their metabolism, (Bell et al, 2020). Though moving forward, it seems that at least by 2035 skin implants to become more commonplace, (Bell et al, 2020). These skin implants under the NHS can assist patients like for blood monitoring for toxins, viruses or bacteria, provide early symptom monitoring for patient's conditions and even share this information with a personal healthcare app accessible to both medical personnel and patients, (Bell et al, 2020). A and E in the NHS:

The emergency services within the NHS are planned to see a new scale of technological advances within it like the rolling out of drones and quadcopter ambulances, (Bell et al, 2020). It is estimated by 2040 that drone services like drones being sent out before the ambulance is for providing basic medical care and even help with route planning to get to the medical scene faster, (Bell et al, 2020). Quadcopters using GPS systems seem on track to replace current ambulance services due to the proven track record of quadcopters being able to avoid traffic to reach the emergency scene allowing for faster response times which we know those vital seconds can save lives between injury and medical care, (Bell et al, 2020). With ambulance service routes to the area needed to assist in emergencies drones seem to have an extra advantage with 3D high resolution mapping to identify hotspot areas in a matter to organize healthcare efforts swiftly towards emergency scenes, (EKU Online, 2018). Conclusion:

All in all, it seems that in a growing society adapting to technology to aid with the high demands the NHS faces there seems to be a trend forward to incorporate technology services alongside medical personnel in various roles. With increased funding for technology like the £16 million grant directed towards the London Medical Imaging and AI center, (Guysandstthomas.nhs.uk, 2020). The pledges from healthcare officials also indicate this like Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, saying “As part of the NHS Long Term Plan we are going to be using new technologies and treatments to improve patient care and save more lives”, (NHS England, 2019). These increases in technology can help patients easily access key healthcare resources and mean for the NHS to cut down the previous 30 million unnecessary outpatient appointments along with saving £1 billion in outpatient appointments to help use that money to increase front line care funding to avoid bringing patents to the hospital unnecessarily, (NHS England, 2019). References:

1. NS Healthcare. (2020). What does the future of the NHS look like based on the Long Term Plan? [online] Available at: https://www.ns-healthcare.com/analysis/future-nhs-id-medical/#:~:text=“The NHS' aim is to [Accessed 9 May 2021].

2. eu-rm.roadmunk.com. (n.d.). 2020 M2 Roadmap - Update - Version 5. [online] Available at: https://eu-rm.roadmunk.com/publish/0dbd8ebaa98e26573e09b1d1fc74433d486ee5d2/ [Accessed 9 May 2021].

3. Nhsconfed.org. (2017). $name. [online] Available at: https://www.nhsconfed.org/resources/key-statistics-on-the-nhs [Accessed 9 May 2021].

4. EKU Online. (2018). 5 Ways Drones are Being Used for Disaster Relief. [online] Available at: https://safetymanagement.eku.edu/blog/5-ways-drones-are-being-used-for-disaster-relief/ [Accessed 9 May 2021].

5. Guysandstthomas.nhs.uk. (2020). £16m grant awarded to the AI Centre. [online] Available at: https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/news-and-events/2020-news/september/20200902-£16m-grant-awarded-to-the-ai-centre.aspx [Accessed 9 May 2021].

6. NHS England (2019). NHS England» NHS aims to be a world leader in artificial intelligence and machine learning within 5 years. [online] England.nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2019/06/nhs-aims-to-be-a-world-leader-in-ai-and-machine-learning-within-5-years/.