Are Millenials Shaping The NHS?

We explore how millenials are shaping the nhs and reflect on how the NHS needs to adapt to meet 21st century healthcare needs

The millenial generation (AKA Generation Y) are widely defined as those born between 1980 ~ 2000 and they are a poles apart from the previous generation X.

How and why is that important?

They are the first generation that doesn’t know life without the internet and personal tech devices. These are the folk who have been called lazy, entitled and even narcissistic with their obsession over social media and gaining ‘likes’ and ‘followers’.

However, let’s not write them off: the positives are an entrepreneurial culture, a strong sense of wanting to make a difference, especially through collaboration, and a belief that work-life balance is more important than being a slave to the system.

Let’s not forget our millennial Junior Doctors took on Jeremy Hunt and came off with more credibility. Through social media connections and innovative campaigns co-ordinated with national media the fight was skillfully taken to the establishment.

By the time the NHS blueprint ‘Five Year Forward View‘ is released in 2020 half of our total workforce will be millenials.

The NHS is looking to its current generation to work and lead for longer, but should it look towards how it can morph to meet the needs of those coming through?

Common sense would suggest the latter, but how? Well there are patterns emerging already as the millenial NHS workforce grows. The NHS needs to adapt to a more flexible workforce patterns whilst also going through transformational change to meet 21st century healthcare needs. Technology and collaboration will be an enabler for more positive patient outcomes, all of which will in turn truly make a difference.

Surely millennial clinicians are best placed to re-shape NHS services around the modern patient with their changing attitudes and expectations?

A call to Generation X: you run the NHS now, but you need generation Y if you want it to survive…

Check out more on our blog on how junior doctors took on Jeremy Hunt.