'The eyes of the world are on the NHS'

Health+Care is made up of seven conferences, each dedicated to a different specialist area of interest, this year the event had over 400 exhibitors showcasing their products and services.

As part of Health+Care’s Integrated Care programme, Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, delivered an opening keynote address focusing on the current state of the NHS, its successes, its challenges and its future.

Jeremy commended the NHS for doing incredibly well in very challenging times but warned of the challenges ahead. The average age of the population is rising alongside public expectation at a time when resources are strained and care professionals are overwrought. However, Jeremy entreated for faith in the strategy in place and the impact that the extra £8bn in funding, which has been agreed by David Cameron, could have on the healthcare system.

He was eager to dispel certain protracted fallacies that surround the subject of improving health services. He said: “The challenge is not to only ensure health care for everyone, but healthcare of the highest quality for everyone.” Many would argue that a choice must be made between financial discipline and high quality healthcare but Jeremy stated that “The path to safer, better care is the same as the one to lower costs.” He defended his opinion with examples of organisations that have transformed both their financial situation and their quality of care.