16.01.14
NHS Wales must stop 'doing things that don’t work’
The NHS in Wales must prioritise resources on proven care, health minister Mark Drakeford is to urge.
In a speech to the NHS Confederation Conference in Cardiff, Drakeford will suggest that the health service must stop interventions that have no impact or actually cause harm.
This could mean an end to treatments considered of little benefit, as well as limited pain medication and a reduction in the number of antibiotics prescribed.
Drakeford said: “It means starting with the things that are the most basic, most proven and most likely to work. And you try those first. And if those things don't work then of course you move on.
“What research studies show is that while the health service sets out to do good in people's lives it doesn't always succeed. So we know people come into hospitals and they acquire infections... we know over prescribing antibiotics in the long run does more harm than good.
“Studies show that almost 20% of what every modern health service does either does no good or does harm.
“Every health board has lists of procedures they don't normally offer because they're not effective... what I want to do is make that a national list so we do this on a concerted national basis.
“Prudent medicine makes sure those with the most urgent needs get to the front of the queue and get seen first.
“But prudent medicine definitely also means saying to the citizen as well as the service there are things you can do differently and we need to do differently if we are to go on having a health service in the future.”
Welsh Conservative shadow health secretary Darren Millar argued: “Patients should be entitled to timely treatment in accordance with their clinical needs and to suggest otherwise is very concerning.
“Rationing services and forcing patients to wait longer for treatment to help health boards meet their financial targets cannot be the answer to increasing demand.
“If nothing is done within the next couple of years we will be at a place that is very near collapse.”
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