Multiple health conditions biggest challenge facing NHS

A new report has warned that meeting the needs of the increasing number of patients with multiple health conditions will be one of the biggest challenges facing the NHS.

The Health Foundation report finds that people in the most deprived areas in England can expect to have two or more health conditions at 61 years, which is 10 years earlier than those in the least deprived areas. At present, 24 per cent of all adults living in England, roughly 14.2 million people, have two or more health conditions.

Over half of hospital admissions and outpatient visits and 75 per cent of primary care prescriptions are for people living with two or more conditions, with those numbers likely to rise as the number of people living with multiple conditions is expected to continue to grow.

The Health Foundation’s analysis projects that this will lead to an increase in total hospital activity by 14 per cent, at a cost of £4 billion, over the next five years. The research also finds that people with four or more conditions have almost three times as many primary care appointments per year as people with one condition. It says a sustainable NHS will need to improve both the quality and cost effectiveness of care for people with more than one condition.

Sarah Deeny, assistant director of Data Analytics at the Health Foundation, said: “Nearly one in four people living in England have two or more health conditions, which may lead to poorer quality of life and a greater risk of premature death. This number is expected to grow. To care for people living with multiple conditions effectively, it is critical that the NHS long-term plan identifies the complexity of their needs.

“Patients need support to help them manage their care. Resourcing primary care so GPs, nurses and other staff have the time to work together with patients to help them manage their conditions better is critical. So is ensuring that care in hospitals is better coordinated, for example between different specialties. To address the fact that people living in deprived areas are more likely to have multiple conditions and ensure everyone has the best opportunity to live a healthy life, cross-government action is needed to tackle the underlying causes of ill health.”