Top 3 challenges for healthcare in 2023

Today, we consider what challenges lie ahead for healthcare in 2023. Carry on reading for insight into the key issues that need addressing, as well as the progress we’ve seen so far. 

1.Health equity 

Equal access to healthcare should be a given, but unfortunately, in most parts of the world, this is still very much an issue. In the UK, for instance, the life expectancy for homeless individuals is over 30 years lower than the general population. Research has also found that women receive a lower quality of healthcare than men in the UK. It is suggested that this gender health gap exists due to the lack of medical research into women’s health, as well as a general bias against women which means they receive; less pain medication than men for the same procedures, less likely to be admitted into hospital and more likely to be overlooked when complaining of a potentially life-threatening symptom such as chest pain. 

Leaders are starting to recognise this inequality that exists across the healthcare system and are in the process of implementing change, including:

• The publication of the first ever Women’s Health Strategy for England. 
• The rough sleeping strategy 
• National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme
• Levelling Up the United Kingdom

2. Digitisation 

Since the pandemic, we have learned that digital transformation is vital for the survival of our healthcare system. In a policy paper published in June, the government said: “We are now embarking on a transformative programme of reforms that will make sure the NHS is set up to meet the challenges of 2048, not of 1948, when it was first established, and also to make the vital changes that are so urgently required in social care.” But what kind of change are we looking at? 

• Updates to the NHS app including new functionalities.
• Digital tools to help people manage long-term conditions at home.
• Increased patient personalisation. 
• Better technology for the NHS. 

The whitepaper also outlines that £2bn will go towards digitising the NHS. An additional £150 million will fund plans to transform social care, including cybersecurity and connectivity foundations. 

3.Addressing staff shortages in the NHS

With growing waiting lists, record ambulance waiting times and increasing numbers of staff leaving their profession, it does not come as a surprise that the NHS needs serious attention over the coming year. In order to help address staffing shortages across the NHS, the government must act immediately and look at actioning the following: 

• New routes into medicine (e.g. apprenticeships). 
• Eliminating racism within the healthcare sector.
• Improved flu and Covid-19 vaccination strategy to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
• Increase the number of medical school places.
• Improve patient flow and speed of primary care. 
• Make further use of private-sector capacity.

We hope 2023 is a better year for our NHS and we see positive change across the wider healthcare sector. 

Here at Amarè Health, we are proud of all the work we do to help support NHS trusts and strive to continue in offering fully compliant, top quality candidates. 

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