Report to the People
12th February 2007
Prevention
the Best Cure
It
was announced earlier this month that the Scottish NHS budget has doubled since
the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s annual budget for next year
is now up to nearly one and three quarter billion pounds.
These
vast sums have, of course, helped bring about some much-needed stability in our
NHS. But, just because the IRH’s
future is secure, we can’t rest on our laurels.
And
there are signs that a fundamental shift in the NHS is underway.
For
example, a pioneering healthcare approach, which aims to stop people in the
areas with the worst health developing the serious and chronic conditions which
shorten and blight too many lives, could be on its way to Greenock.
It
was also announced last week that up to half a million Scots at risk of heart
problems are set to receive cholesterol-reducing
statins. All
over-40s with a 20% risk of coronary heart disease or stroke will get the
treatment.
In
a similar prevention measure, to cut deaths from bowel cancer a national
screening programme, the first in the UK, for people aged between 50 and 74 is
to be rolled out from next month. As
I said at the IRH on Monday, although this is the second most deadly cancer, it
is also the most curable if caught early enough.
The
future of the NHS lies in moving from simply treating ill health towards giving
everyone the same chance of leading a healthier, longer and better life.
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