Value-based healthcare: is it the way forward?

It is undeniable that the NHS, our universal healthcare system, is struggling to meet the needs and expectations of a population that is very different from its inception in 1948. Costs are rising inexorably and, yet, patient experience of their healthcare is often not what we would want it to be. Inequities still exist, both in terms of access to care and clinical outcome. As we spend more and more, surprisingly little is known about the extent to which we are meeting the healthcare goals and outcomes that really matter to patients. Equally, clinical teams are stretched and facing burnout as we emerge slowly from the pandemic. Meanwhile, value-based healthcare has gathered momentum worldwide as a lens through which to examine these problems. But does it provide helpful solutions? This article examines the strengths and limitations of value-based healthcare and its application in the UK context.