The government of England is planning the biggest reimagining of the NHS in its history.

It follows a devastating report by surgeon and independent peer Lord Darzi, which warned that the health service was in a “dire state”.

The Prime Minister has said New 10-year plan It will be based on three concepts: greater use of digital technology, greater emphasis on community care, and preventing ill health in the first place.

There are already areas of innovation across the NHS – and these localized schemes could help the wider NHS in the years to come.

Every month the NHS carries out around 2.5 million tests and scans, including for things like cancer and heart disease.

Outdated or scarce equipment, and difficult access to patients in some hospitals, means the NHS is struggling to complete clinical trials quickly.

More than a fifth of patients are waiting longer than the target time of six weeks.

One solution is new centers in community spaces – including Barnsley’s shopping centre, The Glass Works.

The NHS Diagnostic Center opened in 2022, providing everything from ultrasounds and X-rays to breast screening and bone density scans.

The centre’s impact was immediate, with waits for bone density scans reduced from six weeks to one week, and breast screening increased by almost 50%.

It is one of 165 community diagnostic centres, with others located on high streets, university campuses and football stadiums.

The aim is to increase testing capacity to nine million a year – but shortages of key staff such as radiologists, who interpret and read tests, could make this difficult.

Virtual Ward aims to provide hospital-level care at home.

Using apps and remote monitoring, patients with respiratory problems, heart disease and frailty are kept at home under the supervision of a hospital consultant. Where necessary, home visits can be arranged by nurses.

NHS England has over the years encouraged local services to adopt these for those deemed suitable for the service (patients whose condition is not deteriorating rapidly).

There are now more than 11,000 virtual beds in England, compared to around 100,000 real beds. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also investing in these.

Some studies have suggested that for every two to three patients receiving care in a virtual ward, one hospital admission is prevented.

However, it is not surprising that something that was implemented so quickly has encountered teething problems.

Research by the Health Foundation charity has pointed to this mixed success, Some areas are struggling to access the right technology and one study found that a virtual ward bed costs twice as much as a real hospital bed.

Treating patients six days a week, often late into the evening, the South West London Elective Orthopedic Centre’s five operating theaters are some of the busiest in the NHS.

This unit is only for non-emergency treatment such as knee and hip operations, and has a dedicated team of surgeons, nurses, physios and other healthcare staff. He undergoes more than 5,000 treatments and operations per year.

The idea is to deal with the waiting list in a place where emergency care does not even require beds and theatres, which often leads to delays in operations.

Patients are discharged immediately – about 60% are discharged the same day – and report to staff at the center via video diary, so that their rehabilitation can be monitored.

This is a model that is now being implemented across the country. There are more than 100 surgical centers in England that focus on high-volume, low-complexity procedures.

The NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare bosses, believes these could play a “significant role” in tackling the 7.6 million long waiting list. It is calling for doubling the number of hubs.

So far the results are looking good. Research shows hubs are increasing the number of treatments being offered by more than a fifth in the locations where they are being offered.

However, the main point is that these units require upfront investment to build new theaters and renovate hospital buildings.

This was an issue Lord Darzi recognized when he unveiled the report: “We often have staff, but not theatres. This is very unproductive.”

About one in eight hospital beds is occupied by a patient who is medically ready to leave the hospital, but cannot do so because they need assistance at home.

In some areas, hospitals are working in this direction by creating teams to discharge patients faster and assist them at home. These include care workers, doctors and nurses.

Instead of wasting time doing a full assessment on the wards, patients are sent home knowing there is a team ready to go in and arrange support.

Interestingly, often patients – in the familiar area of ​​their home – require less care than initially thought by hospital staff.

Oxfordshire launched its integrated “assess to discharge” team late last year.

During the winter, they were asked to help 105 patients get home and were in a position to help 91.

Council adult social care director Karen Fuller is pleased with the impact, but says it has not been without its challenges.

Ms Fuller says teams are now “working seven days a week”.

And this is the main obstacle to making further progress. Such schemes rely heavily on councils and lack budgets.

The government has promised to reform social care alongside its new plans for the NHS. With extra funding, councils say they could hold the key to freeing up hospital beds.

Mobile lung cancer screening trucks are testing people in supermarkets, sports centers and football fields.

Invitations are sent to local people most at risk – primarily smokers and ex-smokers aged 55 to 74.

People get lung health checks and if there are any concerns, they can get a scan there or at a local hospital.

Lord Darzi warned that the high cancer mortality rate was a major concern.

Early detection of cancer in stages one and two means it is easier to treat, and chances of survival are higher.

More than 3,000 lung cancers have been identified using trucks – three-quarters at stages one and two. Other people have also been diagnosed with the respiratory disease.

The initiative started in Greater Manchester and Liverpool, but has gradually been rolled out to other parts of the country over the past five years.

This is one of many ways cancer screening has evolved.

More people are being offered bowel cancer screening after the age at which people are invited to come forward was lowered.

The NHS not only has to be there for people with health needs, it has also become a support for people struggling with other elements of their lives.

Visit any GP surgery and, along with people suffering from diseases and ailments, you will find plenty of people seeking help for wider social problems – the consequences of debt, stress, loneliness and physical inactivity.

In fact, it is estimated that one in five GP appointments are for non-medical issues.

To address this, the NHS is investing in social referrals, where patients are referred to activities and support such as volunteering, art, gardening, befriending, walking schemes and dance classes.

As well as helping people with non-medical problems, these “social prescriptions” could also benefit others suffering from mental illness, or long-term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

The Royal College of GPs describes social prescribing as a “vital lifeline” for its patients, particularly following the cost-of-living crisis, and think tank The King’s Fund has said in the past that There is evidence that it may cause harm. “A range of positive health and well-being outcomes”.

This concept was championed in the 2019 NHS long-term plan. This led to investment in link workers, who help GPs co-ordinate access to activities and services provided by councils and the community and voluntary sectors.