NHS model crumbling

The NHS is unlikely to be free at the point of use within 10 years, say doctors. A British Medical Association poll of 964 young GPs and hospital doctors found 61% thought patients would have to pay for some treatment by 2017. Nearly half of all young doctors also expect to leave the NHS within 10 years, according to the survey. All three main political parties have ruled out bringing in a form of charging in the short-term.

The doctors questioned were members of the BMA's Junior Members Forum, which effectively represents the top doctors of the future as it includes those who have graduated within the last 12 years and students. The poll also revealed 94% thought the role of the private sector would continue to grow. A total of 48% of those questioned said they envisaged they would have left the NHS within 10 years, with only a third (35%) of those saying that would be through choice.

Forum chairman Dr Andrew Thomson said it was time to have a debate about the future of the NHS because of pressures from the ageing population and new, ever-more expensive drugs. "Doctors fear that current reforms are damaging the NHS beyond repair. "We seem to be selling off the service to the highest bidder without considering the legacy for future generations of patients. "Government reforms are having negative effects on both services and the morale of doctors. We need to find ways of moving the NHS towards a period of stability. At the moment it is under serious threat. "We will be the ones making the decisions in the future and implementing changes so we want to know what the public, profession and political parties think."

Various options have been put forward, including asking patients to contribute towards the cost of some minor treatments, such as varicose veins, or excluding them from NHS care altogether. There has also been suggestions that an NHS tax could be introduced to help pay for the extra demands on the health service. Dr Thomson said his members were not expressing a favour for any one option, but he suggested patients may well be ready for a change in the system.

BMA policy is still that the NHS should be free at the point of need, although the issue is likely to be discussed at the doctors' annual conference, which sets policy, later this year. But a spokeswoman for the Patients Association said: "I think it is an important principle that where care is needed it is free. "We would not be in favour of patients paying for care where doctors say it is necessary."

The Department of Health has defended NHS reforms, saying it is committed to creating "a truly patient-led service". "What will not change is our commitment to a universal, tax-funded service, with equal access for all," said a spokesman.

Source





The NHS computer meltdown continues

What's a wasted few billion among friends? Hundreds of millions are often spent on government computer projects before they are abandoned but it takes the NHS to commit waste on this scale. Think how many more doctors and nurses they could have hired with 12 billion! Once again, Britain makes Kafka look unimaginative. The whole affair is beyond rational comprehension. The one thing it shows is how unbelievably wasteful a socialist government can be with the people's money in pursuing their dreams of control

Urgent action is needed to rescue the 12 billion pound programme for upgrading the NHS computer system, the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons has said. Over budget and behind schedule, the National Programme for IT is "not looking good", according to a report from the committee.

Edward Leigh, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, said: "Urgent remedial action is needed if the long-term interests of NHS patients and taxpayers are to be protected. "The electronic patient clinical record, which is central to the project, is already running two years late; the suppliers are struggling to deliver; and, four years down the line, the costs and benefits for the local NHS are unclear."

Ministers said that the criticisms were out of date and that the costs of the programme had not escalated.

Source





Tasmanian hospital worker protests over appalling care

And the only response is buck-passing

A WORKER at the coalface of the Royal Hobart Hospital has slammed conditions in Tasmania's biggest Emergency Department. Noreen Le Mottee has broken ranks to write to RHH chief Craig White, emergency boss Dr Tony Lawler, Premier Paul Lennon and political leaders about bed closures.

As a triage clerk, she works on the front line dealing with patients and distressed families. "It is disheartening to arrive at work night after night only to find the waiting room full of sick and understandably irate patients who have been waiting up to eight hours to be seen by a doctor," she wrote. "Too often these are category 3 (urgent) patients who should be seen within 30 minutes according to the national standard."

Health Minister Lara Giddings said emergency pressures had got worse and blamed Federal Government under-funding. Mrs Le Mottee's March 27 letter has been released by the State Liberals, who said they asked for a response before going public. Her concerns included:

"As I write there are 10 patients awaiting beds, the request for one submitted 10 hours ago. "My own and other staff's frustration and embarrassment ... is nothing compared to the pain and anguish suffered by the patients. "With no ED cubicles ... no option but for patients to remain on their ambulance trolleys. "Patients are waiting because the department becomes bed-blocked when other patients cannot be sent to a ward. "I feel extremely angry knowing that Ward 1BN, some 30 beds, has been closed since before Christmas ... it must be addressed urgently before the situation worsens with the onset of winter."

Mrs Le Mottee said yesterday she would not speak further and that her letter "said it all". Category 3 includes severe illness, people with head injuries but conscious, major bleeding from cuts, major fractures, persistent vomiting or dehydration.

Liberal health spokesman Brett Whiteley said Mrs Le Mottee had still not heard from anyone apart from the Liberals. Ms Giddings said the Howard Government's neglect meant Tasmanians were finding it harder to get health care and the results were showing up in all public hospitals. Australian Nursing Federation secretary Neroli Ellis said there were 34 beds closed.

Source

***************************

For greatest efficiency, lowest cost and maximum choice, ALL hospitals and health insurance schemes should be privately owned and run -- with government-paid vouchers for the very poor and minimal regulation. Both Australia and Sweden have large private sector health systems with government reimbursement for privately-provided services so can a purely private system with some level of government reimbursement or insurance for the poor be so hard to do?

For more postings from me, see TONGUE-TIED, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC, GUN WATCH, EDUCATION WATCH, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS, DISSECTING LEFTISM, IMMIGRATION WATCH and EYE ON BRITAIN. My Home Pages are here or here or here. Email me (John Ray) here. For times when blogger.com is playing up, there are mirrors of this site here and here.

***************************