Designing care around the population we serve

While overall life expectancy has risen modestly in recent years, the latest ONS estimates show healthy life expectancy at birth in the UK fell to its lowest level since the series began in 2011 to 2013. In 2022 to 2024, it was 60.7 years for males and 60.9 for females. The distinction matters: living longer does not necessarily mean spending more years in good health.

The pressure on services is also shaped by a changing population. By mid-2034, the number of people of pensionable age in the UK is projected to rise by 1.8 million, around 15 per cent. Health and care must adapt to changing needs, including multimorbidity, frailty and support to live independently.

Ageing alone does not explain poor outcomes. Prevention, social and economic conditions, timely diagnosis and treatment, and coordination between services all influence health. Services organised around episodic interventions and organisational boundaries can leave support until problems escalate.

Adapting the model means acting earlier: identifying risk, helping people manage long-term conditions, and connecting primary, community, hospital and social care around them. It requires staff time and skills, appropriate information-sharing and resources aligned with local needs.

No single model will fit every neighbourhood. Local population data and the experience of patients and professionals should shape priorities, while shared measures show whether changes improve health, independence and access.

The aim is more than changing where care happens. It is to organise services around current and future needs, prevent avoidable illness where possible, provide timely support, and help people live well for longer.