Top North doctor to take lead on future of healthcare
Mar 31 2009 by Helen Rae, The Journal
A LEADING North East doctor will today play a key role in highlighting ambitious plans for the next decade of healthcare in the region.
Renowned doctor, Prof John Burn, will speak to more than 130 senior health service staff at the Centre for Life to outline the latest plans – known as Our Vision, Our future – which will guide the provision of care through every single contact with patients.
Prof Burn has taken up a position at North East Strategic Health Authority to coordinate doctors, nurses and other health professionals up and down the region.
Last year’s launch of Our Vision, Our Future concluded more needed to be done to cut a dependency on hospitals from patients and to offer more facilities in the community.
The detection of conditions earlier to reduce long-term treatment was also a priority. Health bosses will focus on maternity and newborn services, children’s services, long-term conditions such as heart disease, staying healthy, mental health and end-of-life care.
Prof Burn said: “I’m honoured to take on this new role. I’m proud to be from the North East and I think we can lead the way in showing how health services can be excellent in every way and every time they are provided. It is obviously a big challenge we face, but I wouldn’t have taken it on if it wasn’t.
“In the region we have some of the best healthcare services in the country, but, sadly, the worst health and development statistics, with the North East having high levels of teenage pregnancy, childhood obesity and soaring levels of alcohol misuse.
“This vision will hopefully help to combat these problems and reverse the situation.”
Under Our Vision, Our Future, eight wide-ranging teams of NHS staff have already started to scrutinise different aspects of care covering going all the way from maternity to end-of-life care.
The review has been led by Health Minister Lord Ara Darzi.
