Margaret Thatcher retired from the House of Commons at
age 66. Many people used to retire at 65. The NHS is 66 on July 4. Rather than
retirement, a recent study by a prestigious American health body suggests the
opposite is the case. The report actually points to vitality, life and plenty
of work to do yet. The Commonwealth Fund is a non partisan and private health
foundation based in New York. Its mission is 'to promote a high-performing
health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater
efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, including low-income
people, the uninsured, minority Americans, young children, and elderly adults.'
Its board includes key health experts such as James R Tallon. A report called
'Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, 2014 Update: How the U.S. Health Care System
Compares Internationally' makes some interesting points. It compares the USA
health system with 10 other health systems including our own. The other
countries are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The really key point is that the study looked
at what really matters. Key elements such as access, health care quality,
equity, efficiency and key indicators of healthy lives (e.g. infant mortality)
were used. The result was that the best overall health ranking was......the
NHS. Switzerland and Sweden were second and third respectively. (http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2014/jun/mirror-mirror).
When we often
hear how bad things are in the NHS, this health specialist study says something
else. So how do we square the bad news we hear and the scholarly study done by
this Foundation? One doesn't have to be a genius to see that bad things happen
in good services. That things in a service may be wrong yet a service can be
right and good. This leads to the need for renewal and reform not ditching the
service. I hope if we found a dirty plate at home we would wash it, not smash
it. The study also suggests that there are powerful energies and practices in
the NHS that are working well. If there wasn't, how could it be rated the best
in overall health ranking?
The NHS is
where ordinary people do extraordinary things everyday. The NHS is a sign of
what a civilized nation looks like. It embodies the highest principles - social
care, social justice and social equality. It says that health should be based
on our need not our bank account. The NHS is ours - it belongs to the people.
This report says she is still delivering 66 years on. We know that she is what
her best practice and foundation express - great vision, values, care and
compassion. That's why so many of us are so proud of the NHS and so many of us
are humbled to be part of her service.
Happy birthday NHS - thanks for all you
do and have done for people.
John Walsh, York Street Practice
We often don't realise what we had until it has gone. NHS has done my family and professional life proud. Top blog by the way!!
ReplyDeleteThe NHS right since it's inception many years ago has always been at the heart of the nation, the struggle is now to make sure that business, privatisation and ultimately profit does not come before care and compassion in this new age of so called modernisation.
ReplyDeleteThe NHS remains as it always has been - free at the point of entry to all. We are alll very proud and blessed to have such a cherished treasure on our doorsteps - we all must make sure that this is way it remains
In complete and absolute agreement that " the The NHS is a sign of what a civilized nation looks like, It embodies the highest principles - social care, social justice and social equality"
ReplyDeleteSurely then it is our duty and responsibility as good and decent human beings to maintain and uphold the highest principles as well articulated in the article and not allow divisive propoganda to filter through into our consciousness. The fact remains : The NHS is not for sale.
Moreover, and far more principled is the immediate rejection of the adminstrative doctrine recently issued highlighting the necessity for documentation checks on so called " health tourism", once again we as responsible, decent, caring and good human beings must not allow divisive and dangerous doctrine to prevent health care to any human being anywhere in the world. People not profit, health care for all anywhere and everywhere across the world.