A HAMPSHIRE doctor has called for “fundamental changes” to help make sure the NHS can treat people properly.

Dr Paul Howden, a Whiteley GP and clinical lead for long-term conditions in the area, believes that medical care needs to focus more on keeping people healthy, rather than stepping in once illness has begun.

To help with this, the local NHS is asking patients for ideas to guide the direction of its services in future.

Growing number of people are living with long-term conditions and the health service wants to find new ways of supporting these people and staying in control of their conditions.

Dr Howden said: “We really need to make some fundamental changes so that the NHS can do more to keep people healthy, and not rely as much on merely stepping in when they are ill.

“We all want the NHS to be there when we are in desperate need, but it would be far better if the local NHS could build a new approach to give patients the support they need to stay healthy.

“We know that people who have long-term conditions don’t want to spend any more time than necessary in hospital appointments, or suffering sudden bouts of illness – they want to be helped to stay well, and stay in control of their condition.

“That is by far the best option for them, and the best option for the NHS as well.”

The NHS says doctors feel services are too focused on providing a short-term response when someone’s health is in crisis, rather than working with patients to stop them becoming ill in the first place.

Instead, the aim is to help ill people know more about their condition, to be able to stay in good health, and what to do in case their condition deteriorates.

Long-term problems under review include diabetes, lung illnesses, arthritis, osteoporosis, and heart conditions, and the NHS has commissioned a survey and will be introducing face-to-face meetings between doctors and patients.

Dr Howden said: “I would urge anyone with a long-term condition to consider completing the survey, because that will give us the best possible ‘patient’s-eye view’ of the services we have now, and the service we should aim to provide in future.”

For more information and to take the survey, visit farehamandgosportccg.nhs.uk.