Whilst COVID-19 has been described as the biggest challenge the health and care system has faced in living memory, it is by no means the only challenge facing the sector.

COVID-19 struck amidst a backdrop of wider challenges within public health, many of which have been exacerbated or hindered by the pandemic.

Here we take a look at some of the biggest challenges facing public health today.

Using COVID-19 as an opportunity for renewal

In the same way that private industry is using the crisis to reimagine opportunities for the future, the pandemic recovery also provides an opportunity for positive change within public health.

The King's Fund, an independent charitable organisation working to improve health and care in England, believes that the restoration of services provides an opportunity for renewal within the health and care system, bringing about positive change and improvements which last beyond the crisis.

They have set out five key areas which they believe will need to be prioritised by the government, that will also need to sit within a wider economic strategy that invests in the socio-economic determinants of health. These include putting the workforce centre stage, tackling population health inequalities, a lasting reform for social care, accelerated digital change and the reshaping of the relationship between communities and public services.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) is also recommending a £12 billon blueprint for healthcare. This blueprint champions policies designed to ensure the pandemic does not cause lasting damage to healthcare services for future generations.

Whilst the recovery process is still in its early stages, the Government has begun providing additional healthcare investment, recently announcing a £8.1 billion plan to accelerate the delivery of operations and other non-urgent services following the pandemic.

Tackling the mental health crisis

Mental health services were severely impacted by COVID-19, with critical mental health services disrupted or halted in 93% of countries worldwide.

At the same time the NHS faced a huge rise in referrals, especially for young people; between April and December 2020 there were 80,226 more under-18s referred to NHS mental health services in England compared to the same period in 2019. 2020 also saw the highest number of adults referred for urgent help because of a mental health crisis ever recorded.

This has put huge pressure on healthcare professionals to meet the increase in demand for mental health services, leading the government to launch the COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan, along with an extra £2.3bn this year in an ‘ambitious, cross-government approach to promoting positive mental health and successful recovery’.

“Additional funding will boost the capacity of NHS mental health services... and we will also invest specifically in training and upskilling the mental health workforce of the future” says Nadine Dorries, MP Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health.

Meeting increased demand for digital transformation

According to a recent report by Deloitte, COVID-19 has been a driver and accelerator of digital innovation in healthcare.

Patients are now showing greater activity and engagement with digital healthcare services, especially the use of virtual consultations – usage of which rose to 28% of patients in April 2020. This is a trend that is set to continue, with 80% of users saying they are likely to have a virtual appointment again, regardless of the pandemic.

As well as a move toward digital consultations and services, the healthcare sector has also been increasing its use of digital technology and data to improve care. Big data allows for the instant collection of data from a larger and much more diverse population, which is particularly useful for those conducting epidemiological studies, research or clinical trials. Analysis of this data not only allows healthcare professionals to stay on top of cutting-edge techniques and trends, but also enables them to recommend appropriate preventative treatments to patients where the data has identified certain risk factors.

Whilst digital technology is integral to many of the changes envisaged in the NHS long-term plan, the challenge lies with embedding these innovations. The NHS has a poor record of adopting digital technologies at scale, with progress being held back by issues such as over-centralised decision-making, insufficient investment, poor infrastructure and lack of staff development.

However current digital targets remain ambitious; the NHS is aiming to increase the use of remote monitoring and digital tools used to support patients in their own homes, as well as give all patients the right to access digital primary care services by 2024. They also plan for all secondary care providers to be ‘fully digitised’ in the same time frame.

Drive positive change in public health

In the wake of COVID-19, the challenges facing public health are significant, requiring professionals who can take a well-informed and strategic approach. Public health is also a growing sector, with healthcare spending expected to rise at a CAGR of 4% between 2020 and 2024.

If you’re a healthcare professional willing to learn new skills, this presents a prime opportunity to significantly progress your career and develop new abilities to help combat these prevailing issues in today’s systems.

An Online Masters in Public Health from the University of Glasgow will give you the skills and knowledge you need to drive positive change and help safeguard public health, as well as the opportunity to critically explore the field of public health in order to advance your career in health improvement, health protection and humanitarian aid.

This interdisciplinary programme is delivered by the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, which is home to world-leading expertise across a diverse range of disciplines.. The University of Glasgow is also a pioneer in healthcare research, including a number of vital COVID-19 related projects including vaccines, testing and societal impact.

Covering topics including The Principles of Public Health, Epidemiology and Statistics, Research Methods in Health and Wellbeing and Globalisation and Public Health an Online Masters in Public Health will enable you to shape the future of public health and make a positive impact in a range of public health environments.

 

First published: 22 July 2021

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