The big issue: healthcare is too important to be left to the politicians

Restructuring of the NHS is essential, but the task needs to be taken out of the political arena and placed with a royal commission of experts

Every year millions of pounds are poured into the NHS. Every year there is a winter health crisis and every year the health service is kicked around as a political football by every political party.

Before the NHS was established, healthcare for the majority in the UK was at best patchy and at worst unaffordable and nonexistent, with women, children and the elderly suffering the most. Its founder, Aneurin Bevan, envisaged that in time the establishment of the NHS would improve the nation’s health and that the demand for its services would decrease; the opposite has happened. Currently about 40% of all health problems are as a result of lifestyle choices. Added to this is an ageing population with accompanying health and social care needs.

Continue reading... January 07, 2018 at 05:31AM