Responding to the government’s plans to reform the NHS, a faith-based group has said that it must move beyond “tokenistic” engagement with faith groups and develop meaningful strategic partnerships in order to better serve patients.
Last week the government released its “10 Year Health Plan for England”, which stated that the NHS is currently in “critical condition” and needs to “reform or die”. The document repeats many of the same political talking points of the last two or three decades: more patient power, less bureaucracy, and more efficiency.
Slightly more substantive is the idea that in order to function properly, the NHS needs to undergo “three shifts”. These are a shift from treatment to prevention, a shift from analogue to digital, and a shift from hospital to community-based care.
The FaithAction group said that if the government really wants to create a system in which community-based care becomes the norm, it must form partnerships with the voluntary, community and faith-based sectors of society.
The group said, “The NHS must begin to think about 'community' not just in terms of out-of-hospital clinics, but as the people and social infrastructure that hold our neighbourhoods together.
“There must be recognition of the tireless, bread-and-butter work of charities, community groups and faith-based organisations in contributing to the prevention of sickness, and a better integration of this work into strategic planning for the future, backed up by appropriate resourcing.”
The group also welcomed the government’s plan to move from analogue to digital services, but warned that such a move could come at the expense of those with limited digital literacy or language barriers; both issues which voluntary and community groups could help address.
While welcoming indications from the government does indeed intend to engage with voluntary and faith-based groups, FaithAction said it was “disappointing” that there was a lack of detail as to what form this would take.
It said that the NHS should make efforts to bring local communities with them.
“As the 10 Year Plan brings with it sweeping structural changes and reduced budgets, including the abolishment of NHS England and Healthwatch, there is a risk that collective, grassroots community voice gets lost in the noise. We can’t allow this to happen," FaithAction said.
