What next for health services?

We hope that you were uplifted by Dr Strathdee’s message of positivity and hope for the future of health and social care services, as well as broader society.

Undeniably, the COVID-19 crisis has caused much suffering and loss, and we will face new challenges as we emerge from it. There will be continual changes and uncertainty to adapt to. More people, groups, and systems will struggle psychologically.

However, Dr. Strathdee highlights some of the key approaches required to ensure that challenges can be met, changes can be improvements, and successful innovation can be recognised.

• Our understanding of mental health is growing. As we understand the psychological impact and strategies to implement during and beyond COVID-19, we will be better placed to meet future challenges.

• We can focus on prevention. Our expanding knowledge provides opportunities to prevent poor mental health and build mental wellbeing.

• We can take collaborative action. The solidarity and collaboration fostered by COVID-19 and it’s challenges can be harnessed and learned from.

• Our achievements can empower us. Individuals, groups, and systems have made great achievements through innovation and dedication, which we must recognise.

• We’ve made rapid advancements. Moving to open access information, sharing and working digitally can continue to inform healthcare.

Finally, Dr. Strathdee repeatedly referred to science. This reiterates the previous theme we’ve highlighted of learning – creating an environment in which we can capture information and experiences, interpret these, and use them to improve our future.

Do you feel that positives can emerge from this crisis? What circumstances or actions do we need to allow this to happen?