Emerging Trends: Business as usual or Willing to change?
The risks of continuing with a Business as Usual approach to healthcare have been set out above.
On the other hand, a Plan B, based on principles of resilience, localisation and health promotion, would need to be based on the following principles:
- Investment in reducing energy use in hospitals and health care centres, through retrofits and the installation of renewable energy systems
- Investment in reducing travel for patients and staff – e.g. virtual/remote support for major procedures
- Green procurement policies such as:
- Reversing the high dependence on plastic products, moving back to glass, metal etc and reusable products
- Reversing the trends in use of expensive and oil-dependent pharmaceutical products; advocating simple remedies, herbs, diet etc., focusing on those with a proven efficacy, and preferably that have been locally grown
- Sourcing local food and other supplies and services (the potential boost this shift in procurement can bring to local growers is huge)
- Restructuring public health services to increase very local access for simple procedures and therapies
- Continued high investment in promotion and support for healthy lifestyles
- Free preventative care (including dentistry) as in the original NHS vision.
- Broader support and mainstream inclusion of alternative therapies and remedies in public health system
- Recognition and support for public parks, open spaces, gardens, pedestrian and cycle ways as therapeutic for relaxation, stress relief and exercise
- Giving good examples of healthy eating in hospitals and healthcare centres (healthy meals & snacks)
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