As the NHS celebrates its 75th Birthday, we reflect on why Freehab needs to exist.

Today marks the 75th birthday of the National Health Service (NHS). Founded in 1948 it has grown to be one of the largest and most complex healthcare systems in the world. It is (almost) universally loved as a national institution and is a great source of national pride, and rightly so.?

Over the past 75 years, the NHS has saved countless lives and improved the health of millions of people; increasing life expectancy, reducing infant mortality and providing treatment and medication for millions of people with a vast range of conditions, It has also been a major driver of innovation in healthcare, introducing and embracing new treatments and technologies and making them available to everybody. But it isn’t without its challenges…?

The NHS is operating in the context of an ageing population and is facing unprecedented demand for its services. Not only are people living longer and requiring more care, but more and more people are living with multiple long term conditions that require treatment and management. Trying to meet that demand is an understaffed and under-resourced workforce who often cite low pay, long hours and a lack of support as key reasons for wanting to leave the NHS. Add into the mix the NHS being the UK’s most adored political football, with endless discussion about how to reform and revive it, and you’ve got a hint of the challenge to overcome.?

In Freehab’s world of Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, we know that around 20 million people, or one in three of the population suffer, many with long term conditions, the most common being osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and back pain. Not only are they a leading cause of pain and disability, but they have a huge social, economic, psychological and personal impact on people's lives.?

You would think then that the NHS would be heavily invested in tackling the “MSK issue”, but unfortunately the experience of many patients is long waiting lists and a long term struggle of navigating the system. This isn’t the fault of the people in the NHS, they’re doing the best with what they’ve got, but on its 75th Birthday, the NHS has been so neglected over such a long time that it simply does not have the resources to meet the demands of the population.?

Freehab is just one of thousands of social enterprises that are trying to plug that gap. Putting our social mission before profits and shareholder interest, social enterprises play a vital role in the provision of healthcare services by providing innovative and community-based solutions. This has been acknowledged by multiple prominent organisations, including Social Enterprise UK with their excellent report entitled “Social Enterprises, part of the NHS Family”.

My personal feeling as the founder and director of Freehab has been that we shouldn’t need to exist, and the public would be perfectly entitled to feel angry that we do - after all, we’re paying one of the highest rates of marginal tax as a population since the second world war, and yet, we’re experiencing one of the most challenging and dissatisfactory periods for public services, including healthcare. However, you can only work with what’s in front of you, and I founded Freehab on the belief that everybody should have equitable access to help with musculoskeletal conditions. We do that through removing financial and logistical barriers and we’ll keep doing that until we don’t need to any more.?

The NHS has had a wonderful 75 years, and I believe it has at least another 75 ahead of it. At the moment it’s dealing with its own long term condition and once somebody gets it the right rehab programme it’ll be back in fighting shape. Until then, Freehab will continue to enable everybody to invest in their health so they can lead an active and healthy life, without limits.?

Thanks for reading.?

Yours in health,?

Ollie?