There was a definite hint of spring in the air at Stockbury Community Orchard this month.
The weather might have taken a turn in the last week, but the unmistakable lengthening of the days marches on. We have nearly made it through the winter and better days are on the way.
That’s certainly how it’s felt in my ministerial work recently, with the NHS starting to emerge from another tough winter – but one in which it’s coped significantly better than last year.
There’s still plenty of work to do, but the preparations we made last year have made a big difference. Ambulance response times have halved from last winter, A&E wait times are falling, and people are being discharged from hospital faster.
That’s partly thanks to the record investment going into the NHS, but it’s also in huge part down to everything we’re doing to reform our health and care system.
Things like Virtual Wards – 10,000 new hospital-at-home beds allowing doctors to monitor patients’ recoveries at home. Or Urgent Community Response services – taking the pressure of ambulances and getting help to people faster. Or all that’s going on to join up health and social care.
As the Social Care Minister, I never stop banging the drum for care workers. Care is a skilled job which deserves recognition, and in January I was proud to introduce the first ever Care Workforce Pathway. It’s part of my mission to turn care into a career which works for the UK workforce – with nationally recognised training, qualifications, and career progression.
It’s not just hospital and social care seeing changes. January also saw the launch of Pharmacy First - expanding the role of community pharmacies and for the first time ever allowing them to prescribe some medicines.
It’s expected to free up 10 million GP appointments by next winter – a huge boost for GP access locally.
