Lord Darzi’s report into NHS England highlights key gaps in care
Independently commissioned report into health service in England outlines a need for change
A new report commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has outlined the extent of the challenges within the health service in England, which is described as being in ‘critical condition’.
Lord Darzi’s report provides an independent expert assessment of key areas within NHS England, including:
- patient access to healthcare
- the quality of healthcare being provided
- the overall performance of the health system.
The report findings paint a concerning picture of the current state of the healthcare system in general and highlight many of the issues that we know people with migraine have faced when seeking care: difficulty being seen in primary care, lengthy waiting lists in referrals to secondary care, inconsistency in quality of healthcare and lack of satisfactory patient engagement. Our 2023 report, Heading in the Wrong Direction, found that people with migraine are struggling to access appropriate diagnoses and treatments, which has ongoing impacts for many areas of life, from employment to mental health and wellbeing.
“The NHS is in critical condition, but its vital signs are strong.”
The report also offers solutions to address some of the areas where gaps in care were evident, including better investment in technology, and a shift in focus toward care in the community.
“Lord Darzi’s independent investigation of the National Health Service in England that was announced yesterday highlighted the many challenges we hear from people living with migraine and sadly have done for too many years.
Right now, our health service makes it so very hard for people living with migraine to get the care they need, from diagnosis, timely care, access to treatments or mental health support. It is staggering that despite migraine affecting one in seven people (10m in the UK), there is such a lack of investment, workforce issues, poor training and a postcode lottery, resulting in huge consequences on quality of life for too many. The focus shift from hospitals to community services and the neighbourhood is vitally important, as we know that the majority of people with migraine should be cared for this way, which will reduce the strain on secondary care.
I sincerely hope we start to see positive change from the 10-year plan. The Migraine Trust will, along with partners, be pushing to see much-needed change implemented, to ensure those living with migraine get the care they need and deserve.”
