07.12.19
Mike Farrar, Swim England - Last Word
Mike Farrar
Chairperson of Swim England
- Would you talk us through your previous roles within the NHS?
I’ve held a number of roles within the NHS, including Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, CEO of the North West Strategic Health Authority, CEO of the South Yorkshire Health Authority, CEO of Tees Health Authority and Head of Primary Care at the Department of Health.
- What is the biggest change you’ve seen in the health service between now and then?
Resources are incredibly tight now. For the last 8 years we have had 1.5% growth in money but 4.3% increase in demand for expenditure. Data sharing and predictive analytics will shape the NHS in a very different way going forwards.
- Describe your proudest moment working either in or alongside the NHS?
I was very proud to lead the successful negotiation of the 2002 GP contract and was also responsible for the complete closure of all the long stay asylums for people with mental illness and disabilities in Yorkshire. I was also very honoured to receive a CBE and honorary fellowships of the Royal Colleges of GPs and Physicians.
- What does the future hold in your opinion? Are you optimistic?
I’m optimistic about the way the NHS will respond to these challenges but pessimistic about our ability to use data at scale and apply intelligent alignment of resources to need. I also think we can do a lot to prevent ill health, but we have to put a higher proportion of our overall resources towards it if we are to be successful.
- What would you say is the biggest challenge facing the healthcare industry right now?
The workforce - how we can adopt new technologies fast enough to compensate for the underlying lack of staff in the health and care workforce.