We’re living a few years in good health: is the NHS part of the problem?

Some doctors are trying new approaches, seeing that changing the way the NHS works can lead to better health. Dr David Blaine is a GP in Glasgow Posilpark and Academic Lead for GPs at Deep End, an organization run by Scotland’s most deprived communities.

Patients in these neighborhoods develop many long-term illnesses 10 to 15 years earlier than those in more affluent areas, he said.

“Not only is there a good chance you’re going to have more long-term health problems, but there are other things going on in your life that affect your mental health — a lot of low mood, depression, chronic pain…

Part of GPs in the Deep End role is to adopt new strategies to reduce health care inequities.

One strategy is to extend all appointments to 15 minutes. “That definitely helps with empathy. It helps to manage more than one potential problem in a consultation and GP stress,” says Blaine.

But the most important thing is continuity of care – seeing the same clinic every time. “Continuity of care saves lives, and helps facilitate better access, better follow-up and better health outcomes,” he said. “In the last 10-15 years, the political emphasis has been more on rapid access[to treatment]which is important for some things, but not for everything.”

Blaine is helping to assess new family welfare support workers in Glasgow. These workers connect patients with financial counseling, housing assistance, trauma counseling, language support and exercise programs. He said the model creates “sticky” relationships with potential dropouts and could be replicated with families across the country.