When Sir Keir Starmer promised the “biggest reimagining of the NHS,” we at Intergenerational England felt both hope and urgency. The Prime Minister’s call for “major surgery, not sticking plaster solutions” is long overdue, but to truly make this reimagining work, we believe it requires the input and collaboration of people from all generations.
At Intergenerational England, we support Sir Keir’s vision for NHS reform, especially in light of the devastating report by Lord Ara Darzi, which described the NHS as being “in critical condition.” We know these challenges all too well, but we also know that the solution lies in breaking down age barriers and bringing the wisdom, energy, and experience of every generation into the conversation.
Why an intergenerational approach matters
“Intergenerational strategies offer a unique lens to understand and enhance healthcare in a vast variety of ways, emphasising the connections and interactions between individuals across all life stages,” says Emily Abbott, co-founder of Intergenerational England. By focusing on the relationships and interactions between different generations, we open up opportunities to provide better, more sustainable care.
Sir Keir outlined three major shifts for NHS reform: from hospital to community care, from analogue to digital, and from treating sickness to preventing it. These are monumental changes, but they can only succeed if we value and incorporate the diverse needs of people of all ages.
Breaking the hospital cycle
As Lord Darzi pointed out in his report, “the NHS budget is not being spent where it should be—too great a share is being spent in hospitals, too little in the community, and productivity is too low.” This is a cycle we must break, and we believe an intergenerational approach can help do just that.
The NHS is stuck in a cycle where resources flow disproportionately to hospitals, leaving community care underfunded and overstretched. This imbalance not only traps patients in hospital beds when they should be receiving care closer to home, but it also drains the morale and productivity of our dedicated NHS staff. Intergenerational approaches can help break this cycle by fostering community-led solutions, bridging gaps between healthcare, social care, and families, and easing pressure on hospitals.
Community-based solutions
By mobilising intergenerational volunteer programmes and connecting young people with older adults, we can alleviate pressures on formal social care systems, reduce isolation, and promote healthier communities. Intergenerational frameworks can also be key to creating “neighbourhood NHS” models and by partnering younger people with the older generations we can enhance digital literacy to ensure the older generation can still access the care they need as technology advances. By investing in intergenerational community support, we can improve patient flow, enhance productivity, and ultimately create a more resilient and responsive health system that works for all generations.
Building a health system for all generations
At the heart of what we do at Intergenerational England is the belief that healthcare should serve everyone, and that means valuing the input of people across all ages. By investing in intergenerational community support, we can improve patient flow, boost productivity, and create a more resilient, responsive NHS that works for everyone.
As Dr. Claire Fuller, a Primary Care Medical Director for NHS England and one of our trustees, said: “An intergenerational approach has the opportunity of making a significant contribution to the health of the nation.” We couldn’t agree more.
A call for collaboration
We know the challenges ahead are immense, but we also know the power of collective action. The NHS is a cornerstone of our society, but it cannot thrive on the efforts of health professionals alone. It needs all of us.
Now is the time to ask ourselves: How can we, across generations, bring innovative, community-focused solutions to help turn the NHS around? What steps must we take together to ensure care is not just available but truly compassionate and accessible to all? And how can we harness the power of intergenerational relationships to build a health and social care system that values everyone, from the youngest to the oldest?
At Intergenerational England, we’re not just talking about change, we’re inviting everyone to be part of it. Together, we can reimagine what’s possible for the NHS, but only if we act now, with every generation at the table.
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