- Priory CEO Rebekah Cresswell welcomes NHS 10-Year Plan
- Says collaboration will create “a more integrated, inclusive and resilient health system”
- Warns of “less focus” on addiction services and social care
- Working with system partners to address concerns for autistic people and people with learning disabilities
Priory, the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health, addiction and working-age adult social care services, has welcomed the publication of the NHS 10-Year Plan.
Chief executive Rebekah Cresswell said the plan will create “a more integrated, inclusive and resilient health system” and highlighted how Priory’s specialist provision and ability to invest can help support its delivery.
She said, however, that while commitments have been made on mental health, there is “less focus” on addiction services and an aligned plan for social care, with the latter impacting autistic people and people with a learning disability who are reliant on specialist social care support and need to avoid “being stuck in hospitals”.
“The NHS 10-Year Plan lays the foundations for a more integrated, inclusive and resilient health system and we welcome the focus on collaboration and partnership working,” she said.
“With a UK-wide network across mental health, addiction and social care services, our specialist provision and ability to invest will support the NHS in meeting the growing needs of the population, tackle increasing complexity and improve outcomes for the people of the UK.
“While the plan covers some commitments for improvements in mental health care and support, there is less focus on tackling the growing addictions crisis or the critical role of social care in alleviating pressures on the NHS.
“This will be of particular concern to autistic people and people with learning disabilities, as well as mental health conditions, who will be reliant on specialist social care provision – and who should not be stuck in hospitals. Given our expertise in this area, we will be working closely with system partners to look at how this can be addressed in the short term in the absence of an aligned plan for social care.
“What is evident is that investment will continue to be a challenge for the NHS, which emphasises the importance of ensuring independent providers like Priory are viewed as core partners with the capacity, capital, capability and commitment to improve the health and social care system.
“We look forward to working with the NHS, integrated care boards and wider collaborative groups to help deliver on the ambitions of this plan.”