The report also revealed the number of older people in need of care and how many were receiving the help they needed.
Neville Koopowitz, CEO of VitalityHealth,said: “The HSCIC report reveals the true strain on the NHS. With almost half of England taking regular prescription drugs it’s understandable when we hear of how stretched the health care service is, alongside hospitalisation, supplying medicine is another large cost.
“That’s why we need to take note of the age-old saying, ‘prevention is better than cure’ but recognise that the two go hand in hand.
“While it’s vital that those who need medicine should be able to access prescriptions with ease, it’s also crucial that we turn attention to prevention in order to decrease our societal reliance on drugs.
“This will help set the foundation for a graduation reduction of dependence on prescription medicine over time. We should be encouraging an overall healthier lifestyle and not just treating sickness.
Koopowitz continued: “We believe a large part of this starts in the workplace. Employers have the opportunity to take the lead and encourage their staff to embrace the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
“Not only would this decrease the pressure on the NHS but it could also improve the health of society as a whole. An estimated 80% of the healthcare burden is related to the three behaviours of smoking, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition.
“In an environment where the NHS is facing a funding gap of billions of pounds, we need to start thinking differently. A greater focus on promoting a wellness-based solution will lead to a lower healthcare burden, improved overall productivity and a healthier country overall.”
