VIEWPOINT FOR 20 AUGUST 2009  
FROM DR RICHARD TAYLOR

The NHS has come under serious attack recently from both sides of the Atlantic . 

Having visited the USA with the Health Select Committee I have seen good aspects of American health care. 
For instance, in one relatively small town that we visited, there were more heart specialists than in a whole county or major conurbation in this country. 
But against this is the fact that 47 million out of 300 million population have no health insurance and therefore have to pay entirely for all health care and that medical costs accounted for 60% of US bankruptcies in 2007.

One of my grandfathers was a GP in London before the NHS and my mother worked as his dispenser. I heard first hand from them of the difficulties for patents finding the money to see a doctor, and for the doctor in prescribing treatment that the patient could afford. 
I started work 11 years after the formation of the NHS and for patients never to be worried about how to afford medical help and for doctors never to have to worry if a patient could afford the best treatment was wonderful. It means that, to me and I suspect most people in this country, the NHS is vital and its foundation one of the best things, if not the best, that any government has ever done in peace time for its people.

Of course there are problems and we have been reminded of these by the disasters in Mid-Staffordshire. 
Thank goodness there is to be an inquiry into this and hopefully we will learn how it happened and why alarms raised by patients and staff were not acted upon. 

One can pick up the papers and read of other shortcomings and personal tragedies when the best care has been lacking. I receive complaints about our local hospital service and hopefully raising these will lead to improvement.

I can point to one major improvement coming to the NHS soon that stems from the tragedy of the death of a child who despite the parents efforts never got to the appropriate health care provider due to conflicting advice. If you or your family are ill but not sufficiently so to dial 999 and you do not have an A&E department close by what do you do? Do you call the GP surgery, GP out-of-hours service or NHS Direct or do you go to the local minor injuries unit, health centre or NHS walk-in centre? 

Since this sad death, in debates and meetings with ministers, I have stressed this dangerous confusion and the government is now embarking on trials of a single, three digit telephone number that will point the caller to the appropriate and available source of help.

Although Lord Darzi, the surgeon and health minister brought in by the PM to organise improvements to the NHS, has resigned, his review has stressed the importance of quality of care and if this leads to greater safety, efficiency and compassion, and better communication and continuity of care then again the NHS could be the envy of the world while coping with increasing demands and finite resources. Long live the NHS!

RT

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