North East NHS Leader Admits Healthcare Reforms are Needed

Local TV

A North East NHS leader has admitted the health service must undergo major reform, following strong concerns raised by a local councillor over its vast and growing cost.

Transcript

00:00At a recent meeting of Northumberland County Council's Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee,

00:05Councillor Georgina Hale described the current £200 billion NHS budget as mind-blowing,

00:11arguing it accounts for two-thirds of all UK income tax revenue, which totalled £301 billion in 2024-2025.

00:20Councillor Hale, who chairs the committee, said that while there are pockets of excellence within the NHS,

00:25the everyday experience for many patients, particularly in accessing GP services, remains frustrating.

00:32She expressed frustration at what she sees as a reluctance to address long-standing structural issues.

00:39There are fundamental problems with the NHS that need significant reform, she said,

00:44adding that the level of spending raised serious questions about value for money.

00:48Responding to these comments, Rachel Mitchardson,

00:51Director of Delivery for Northumberland and North Tyneside at the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board,

00:59acknowledged the challenges and agreed that the system is not sustainable in its current form.

01:04She pointed to the government's new 10-year NHS plan, Fit for the Future, as a key step in tackling those concerns.

01:11Launched in July, the plan aims to shift healthcare away from a hospital-first model

01:16and towards community-based care, supported by digital innovation and a stronger focus on prevention.

01:23Mitchardson explained that the transformation would require significant changes

01:27in how services are delivered and how patients engage with the system.

01:32We focus so much on treating illness that we haven't done enough to keep people healthy in the first place, she said.

01:37The 10-year strategy aims to reverse that trend by making preventative care more accessible and integrated into everyday life.

01:44Amen.

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