Training Blog

We’ve all seen the media items on this topic but what exactly does it all mean?
According to some articles the UK’s Department of Health (DoH) is seeking urgent help to create a “failure regime” in the National Health Service, this is because the NHS is apparently over budget in several areas but this can’t be resolved through shifting the managerial responsibility in other words you are simply shifting the problem rather than solving it. Politics of today states that there is a noticeable commitment to the virtues of private enterprise and competition in the free market. However, there is no need for the government to relinquish control of the NHS. General health care for all is a widely accepted as a right in this country. If the government wants to improve the NHS they should raise taxes in order for the public to raise the standard of a national health care service for all. People have always paid for public services through taxation – this is not a new radical solution. However in the current situation people will resent an increase in taxes as the prices are increasing as a result of the “credit crunch”. The nature of private businesses creates an environment of competition, as a result resources and facilities as companies compete for “business” and consequently facilities and services improve. These “funds” are essential to the NHS system can only raise the standard of treatment patients will receive.

On the other hand the privatisation of the NHS will result in an emphasis on efficiency and profit; the vulnerable and the poorest in society will suffer from such a scenario. The question of prioritising health care and rationing will always favour the rich, since targeting vulnerable groups will be an inefficient use of resources so it will result in the poorer people within society suffering as they will be unable to afford adequate healthcare this will create a vicious circle because the poor will perish then the next “level of in income” will become the poor and so in until eventually you end up in the same situation that you started with. So ultimately “you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t” because you need the funds to resolve some of the issues within the NHS but then a large percentage of society suffers if you privatise so either way you can’t win.