New Narratives: Rethinking the Future of Healthcare

New perspectives on the future of health care (workers)

Across the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, a new movement is emerging—one that reimagines the future of healthcare. Through a series of dynamic gatherings, young entrepreneurs, policymakers, students, (health)care professionals, patients, educators and insurers have come together to co-create fresh new narratives for a more human-centered, innovative, and connected health system.

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  • As you enter positions of trust and power, dream a little before you think

    Toni Morrison

why new narratives

We often talk about health care, but in reality, much of the system is centered around disease care. There is a growing mismatch between how the healthcare system is organized and what people truly need. While the current model is primarily focused on diagnosing and managing diseases, there is an urgent need to shift towards a more holistic approach—one that prioritizes prevention, resilience, and overall well-being.

At the same time, healthcare systems around the world are under increasing pressure. Rising demand, staff shortages, and escalating costs are pushing the system to its limits. If we continue to focus solely on disease treatment, the burden on healthcare professionals will only grow, making sustainable care even harder to achieve.

New Narratives aims to bridge this gap by reimagining healthcare, fostering collaboration, and co-creating solutions that move beyond treating illness to truly supporting health. By bringing together diverse voices, from healthcare professionals to innovators and communities, we can build a future where healthcare is not just about curing, but about caring for life in all its dimensions.

The New Narratives for Future Healthcare will embrace the power of well-being. Well-being is understood by the WHO as something that “encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose.”  It encompasses the well-being of all human entities. But how do we achieve these big dreams for the future?

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What is the New Narrative?

Ashoka gamechangers has deepened its work in healthcare by creating spaces to rethink the future of the health workforce, supported by the Johnson & Johnson Foundation.

They brought together a committed and diverse group of European health stakeholders—encouraging collaboration and collective imagination to define new narratives for the future of healthcare.

As part of this effort, we convened four social entrepreneurs in the UK, the Netherlands, and France, each of whom engaged local health stakeholders to reimagine the future of the healthcare workforce together:

  • Mark Swift (United Kingdom) – Wellbeing Enterprises
  • Karolien van den Brekel (Netherlands/Belgium) – Positive Health International
  • Guillaume Alsac (France, in memoriam †) – Soignons Humains / Buurtzorg
  • Clotilde Guillon Berghe (France) – Gérontopôle Nouvelle-Aquitaine

The social entrepreneurs brought together over 30 stakeholders—policymakers, doctors, patients, health insurers, and other key actors—who collaborated to:

Dream together about an ideal future for the health workforce

Build a shared vision of the healthcare system and its challenges

Identify the new narratives needed to achieve this vision

Explore ways to bring these narratives to life

Result

By creating a space for shared imagination, and by bringing multiple perspectives into the same room, the stakeholders developed a common vision for the future of healthcare. Within these sessions, questions concerning individuals’ understanding of well-being and health enabled the collective to determine a collaborative idea of the future. Even in the four European countries with different systems, there was alignment about their dreams of a future in health care: place humanity, connection, trust, joy and simplicity (back) at the centre.

 

This envisions a system where:

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  • The health workforce collaborates not only within its own sector but also with communities.
  • Patients and communities take an active role in their own health.
  • Prevention is prioritized over treatment.
  • Resources are invested in innovation and education.
  • Spaces are created for health promotion and relationship-building.
  • Everyone—from healthcare workers to local communities—has a role to play.

Their work continues, both locally and across Europe, through events, media, podcasts, and a paper on the dreaming methodology, aimed at spreading this vision further, whereas we use this website as a source of stories and documentation.

Anyone can take the first step. Join us!

It all starts with individual and collective awareness of what is important, making real connection and listening attentively and empower each other.

New Narrative Healthcare NL

Join the Conversation

The shift towards a more human-centered healthcare system starts with open dialogue and shared vision. Through stories, insights, and collaborations, we aim to inspire action and empower changemakers across Europe. Explore the voices, methods, and innovations shaping the future of healthcare.

Together, we have the opportunity to shape a future where healthcare isn’t just a job—it’s a calling, a shared journey of healing and hope. Join us in rewriting the narrative—for ourselves, for each other, and for the future of healthcare.