National Health Service
How about this free National Health Service Grit? In the early 1900’s the Labour (Socialist) party introduced a National Health Service with the premise that healthcare should be freely available to all, regardless of social class, creed or ethnic origin. This idea worked reasonably well for decades, despite attempts by consecutive governments to erode this ethos.
One would have thought that, when Labour returned to power in 1997, they would work to restore the NHS back to its founding principles. No, in their wisdom they decided that it should be run along the lines of a private business. So they formed each area and hospital into trusts, gave them independence of management and annual budgets, and said “there we are people, now make it work.” The result was an immediate increase in the “Chief to Indian’s” ratio and a statistical analysis of the cost of every operation and procedure. For example if, like in my case a few years ago, one needed stitches for a serious leg wound, that would cost X amount, a cold would cost Y and a heart transplant Z plus seven. Of course, all these calculations were budgeted based on averages.
Thus, they claimed to have the perfect system (you know I always worry when someone uses the word perfect in connection with financial systems). What happened? Well from year one over ninety percent of these trusts started to record significant deficits, and so it has continued. Their reaction of course has been to take the business approach and close loss making facilities. Hospital beds and wards started disappearing and services reduced.
I have worked it out that, had I sustained my leg injury today, I would only have been allocated 11 of the 16 stitches that were required. No doubt, the remaining part of the wound could be adequately dealt with by the use of parcel tape.
As expected, the government have taken a rational approach to addressing these deficits. They have reacted by reducing the amount of funds allocated (one hospital’s budget has been reduced by £15 million).
Oh Whoopee! Now you not only have to queue on a waiting list for hospital attention, you have to queue to get onto the queue that is waiting to get onto the waiting list. Perhaps this explains why the UK NHS is the envy of the world’s health services???
The Brit
How about this free National Health Service Grit? In the early 1900’s the Labour (Socialist) party introduced a National Health Service with the premise that healthcare should be freely available to all, regardless of social class, creed or ethnic origin. This idea worked reasonably well for decades, despite attempts by consecutive governments to erode this ethos.
One would have thought that, when Labour returned to power in 1997, they would work to restore the NHS back to its founding principles. No, in their wisdom they decided that it should be run along the lines of a private business. So they formed each area and hospital into trusts, gave them independence of management and annual budgets, and said “there we are people, now make it work.” The result was an immediate increase in the “Chief to Indian’s” ratio and a statistical analysis of the cost of every operation and procedure. For example if, like in my case a few years ago, one needed stitches for a serious leg wound, that would cost X amount, a cold would cost Y and a heart transplant Z plus seven. Of course, all these calculations were budgeted based on averages.
Thus, they claimed to have the perfect system (you know I always worry when someone uses the word perfect in connection with financial systems). What happened? Well from year one over ninety percent of these trusts started to record significant deficits, and so it has continued. Their reaction of course has been to take the business approach and close loss making facilities. Hospital beds and wards started disappearing and services reduced.
I have worked it out that, had I sustained my leg injury today, I would only have been allocated 11 of the 16 stitches that were required. No doubt, the remaining part of the wound could be adequately dealt with by the use of parcel tape.
As expected, the government have taken a rational approach to addressing these deficits. They have reacted by reducing the amount of funds allocated (one hospital’s budget has been reduced by £15 million).
Oh Whoopee! Now you not only have to queue on a waiting list for hospital attention, you have to queue to get onto the queue that is waiting to get onto the waiting list. Perhaps this explains why the UK NHS is the envy of the world’s health services???
The Brit
posted by Brit & Grit at 1:31 AM
6 Comments:
I can understand your frustration, Paul, though I think frustration would be an understatement considering the situation. On my part, I can't even begin to express my rage (yes, rage) at the way my country is being run by an unelected, cheating, lying and murdering thief. And she's a woman! Four years at the helm, and she has already surpassed the daring (for doing the wrong things) and the greed of even the Marcoses. You think the NHI sucks, the whole government of the Philippines sucks and it will continue to go downhill unless Arroyo is removed from office and made to account for all of her deeds. But by the way things look, only a miracle can save us.
Footnote: The Marcoses have not admitted to any wrongdoing in the twenty years that they were in power. They are yet to be tried in court for corruption (to the tune of billions of dollars) nor are they being tried for the murder and disappearance of numerous young men and women who have courageously fought the dictatorship in the 1970s.
Hi Maia
Thanks for your comment. Although things in the UK are more than frustrating at times, I understand that we have little to complain about compared with the situations you describe. Thanks for visiting.
Paul
Sorry got carried away there.
Maia
Here there is never a need to apologise. Everyone's views and comments are welcome.
Paul
Being in a position where I live on both sides of the pond ...as an American with British residency(no thanks to a marriage)...this is an interesting debate. In Scotland, I know a lot of doctors for some reason. No one I know waits very long for treatment but it's Scotland and there are less people.
That said, many people I know take antibiotics for everything. They seem overprescribed for colds and hangovers. If you get a good case of something like psoriasis, you get a pass to stay in the hospital for three weeks and possibly contract some deadly infection having nothing to do with skin. Since I come back to the States with regularity, I see doctors here rather than use my NHS card.
There's a lot to be said about the NHS that's good but it is a system needing much revision. Heck, I read the papers ...there's a horror story per day!
Hi, Thanks for you input. I agree that much revision and shaking up is needed.
Have you heard the latest? Today doctors in the UK have been given permission to do a face transplant.
Paul
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