In the UK we tend to take our National Health Service for granted. At times we all complain about it. When we receive exceptionally good treatment few of us bother to praise the NHS. After all the best should be the norm, right? Well yes but would it hurt to occasionally take a step back, take a long hard look and consider the alternative.
That said people in the UK tend to be protective of the NHS. It is a very British care system, one that may need to be tweaked from time too time, but one that few would want to wave good bye to.
David Cameron made much in his election manifesto about how the NHS was safe in his hands but he has since proved that is far from the truth. The NHS has been under attack on all fronts. Reform looks set to put funding back in GP hands. If you work for the NHS, as this blogger does, you will find that work there long enough and you will see a circle of changes. Almost 13 years down the road the latest changes are reminiscent of a few years ago.
Much is made that over paid administrator posts will be rightly cut but in reality it is front line jobs that are going. Those at the top handle the job cuts and predictably protect themselves.
The NHS is facing too many changes at one time. In order to meet demands and targets it is disappearing in a type of twilight zone. Government fines are levied against some sections, constantly making budget targets impossible to achieve.
February 8, 2012, the NHS reform was discussed in UK Parliament. The House of Lords has again rejected the bill without more amendments. The Tories though look set to continue like a dog with a bone. Labour leader, Ed Miliband, got the upper hand against Cameron the Commons, in spite of the derision and smarm eeking out of the Coalition front bench.
David Cameron's only defence seemed to be a personal attack. He attacked Mr Milband saying that Ed's position in the Labour party was fragile. We all know that attack is the poorest form of defence which this proved. Mr Cameron had little to say that was positive about the NHS reforms, so launch a personal attack on the Labour leader instead. I ask you?
Even an oped in the Financial Times agrees that the reform plans are a mess. As it says, the plans lack the necessary skill. If Cameron chooses to belligerently stay on the same NHS path it could prove to be his political downfall. Could we be so lucky?
That said people in the UK tend to be protective of the NHS. It is a very British care system, one that may need to be tweaked from time too time, but one that few would want to wave good bye to.
David Cameron made much in his election manifesto about how the NHS was safe in his hands but he has since proved that is far from the truth. The NHS has been under attack on all fronts. Reform looks set to put funding back in GP hands. If you work for the NHS, as this blogger does, you will find that work there long enough and you will see a circle of changes. Almost 13 years down the road the latest changes are reminiscent of a few years ago.
Much is made that over paid administrator posts will be rightly cut but in reality it is front line jobs that are going. Those at the top handle the job cuts and predictably protect themselves.
The NHS is facing too many changes at one time. In order to meet demands and targets it is disappearing in a type of twilight zone. Government fines are levied against some sections, constantly making budget targets impossible to achieve.
February 8, 2012, the NHS reform was discussed in UK Parliament. The House of Lords has again rejected the bill without more amendments. The Tories though look set to continue like a dog with a bone. Labour leader, Ed Miliband, got the upper hand against Cameron the Commons, in spite of the derision and smarm eeking out of the Coalition front bench.
David Cameron's only defence seemed to be a personal attack. He attacked Mr Milband saying that Ed's position in the Labour party was fragile. We all know that attack is the poorest form of defence which this proved. Mr Cameron had little to say that was positive about the NHS reforms, so launch a personal attack on the Labour leader instead. I ask you?
Even an oped in the Financial Times agrees that the reform plans are a mess. As it says, the plans lack the necessary skill. If Cameron chooses to belligerently stay on the same NHS path it could prove to be his political downfall. Could we be so lucky?
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