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BUILDING A HEALTH SERVICE FIT FOR THE FUTURE

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Conclusion

Changes in what patients need in the future from the NHS will require a shift in the balance of care. The ageing of the population, the growth of long term conditions and the continuing pressures on emergency beds can and must be dealt with by an integrated, whole system response that moves the NHS in Scotland from an organisation reacting to illness often by doctors in hospitals to an organisation working in partnership with patients to anticipate ill health and deal with it in a continuous manner through the efforts of the whole health care team.

The NHS in Scotland can meet that challenge by:

  • Building a new relationship of partnership and trust with the public aligned around the direction set in this report.
  • Equipping frontline staff to design service change and to develop new roles and skills.
  • Ensuring all staff are working to a shared vision with a sense of pride in what they are doing.
  • Providing modern information and communications technology to improve access, quality and effectiveness.
  • Maximising services in the community; delivering care that is as local as possible and as specialised as necessary.

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Page updated: Monday, May 23, 2005