The Importance of Preventative Healthcare

Written By Jordan Mbonu

Why Prevention Matters

Imagine a healthcare system where fewer people suffer strokes, heart attacks, or chronic illnesses—not because treatment improved, but because illness was prevented in the first place. That’s the future the NHS must strive for.

Currently, the NHS often defers treatment for non-critical conditions to prioritise urgent cases. While understandable, this approach can backfire: patients return later with more severe problems, requiring complex care at higher cost and greater risk to their health. The result? Longer waiting lists, overstretched staff, and mounting pressure on resources. Today, 7.4 million people are on NHS waiting lists, and only 64% are treated within 18 weeks, far below the 92% standard.

The Power of Preventative Healthcare

Preventative healthcare offers a smarter solution. By identifying high-risk groups and working with communities and charities, the NHS can tackle root causes before they escalate. For example, the NHS Long Term Plan aims to prevent over 150,000 heart attacks, strokes, and dementia cases by 2029. Evidence shows this works: NHS Health Checks reduce premature mortality by 67% over 10–15 years among attendees.

Key Priorities

  • Prevent strokes and heart attacks through early intervention

  • Support rehabilitation to restore economic activity

  • Reduce modifiable risks like smoking and obesity

  • Promote healthy lifestyles with increased physical activity

  • Enable home monitoring using point-of-care devices

The Economic Case

The numbers speak for themselves:

  • Primary prevention delivers a median ROI of 14:1

  • Prevention is 3–4 times more cost-effective than treatment, with each QALY costing £3,800 versus £13,500 for treatment

  • Integrated care systems investing in prevention see 15% fewer emergency admissions, 10% fewer ambulance conveyances, and an average £26 million net savings

Every pound spent on prevention saves multiple pounds in future treatment costs, while improving quality of life and reducing NHS strain.

Conclusion

Preventative interventions don’t just save lives—they protect the NHS from collapse. The question isn’t whether prevention matters—it does. The real question is: how quickly can we scale these measures to transform the NHS from reactive to proactive?

Join the conversation. Support policies, community programmes, and innovations that prioritise prevention. Together, we can build a healthier future for all.

Jordan Mbonu
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