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VIEWPOINT FOR 21
AUGUST 2008
FROM DR RICHARD TAYLOR
Before the recess in the House of
Commons in a debate I outlined my personal seven-point manifesto
for the NHS pointing the main parties to vote winners that would
benefit all of us as users and owners (we pay for it!) of the NHS.
- ABOLISH PRESCRIPTION CHARGES
–
These are unfair and can never be made so. A Government review of
these charges has been struggling for many months to produce a
report. The loss of revenue, £450 million, could be made up by a
small hypothecated tax increase for those earning over £100,000
per annum. Ivan Lewis MP, a junior health minister, has recently
suggested a greater increase in tax for the super rich so this
idea is entering consideration. His suggestion would raise at
least £3 billion, so a smaller increase for more people would
raise enough to cover this abolition.
- QUALITY
is the theme of Lord Darzi's recent report on the NHS. Quality, I
think, depends on four Cs:
CARE: safety, use of the
best treatments and avoidance of errors;
COMPASSION: dignity, sympathy and kindness; COMMUNICATION
between staff and patients and between all hospital staff and
primary care staff; CONTINUITY of care.
- COMPETITION – This
Government and the next, of whatever colour, are wedded to
competition within the NHS and to contest this with Governments
with large majorities is unrealistic. We must fight to make
competition fair and open to NHS staff on a level playing field so
they can win contracts and thus keep services within the NHS.
- FOUNDATION TRUST STATUS FOR
ALL NHS PROVIDER ORGANISATIONS INCLUDING GP, HOSPITAL AND MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES - Foundation trusts can keep their own surpluses
and have greater independence from higher authorities and greater
public and patient involvement through their membership. Savings
could be put into quality awards or other locally agreed
priorities.
- HEALTH CARE RATIONING –
The NHS cannot afford everything and this has to be faced with an
open, public debate on what services the NHS must provide for
everyone.
- ACCELERATE THE WORK OF NICE
– This is planned in the Darzi review and must be the best
method for avoiding post code prescribing. The wider debate on
rationing could release money to make more drugs available to the
NHS by the NICE calculations of affordability.
- MAKE PATIENT AND PUBLIC
INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH REAL – The new local
involvement networks (LINks) must be actively and meaningfully
involved in health care rationing and commissioning decisions and
work closely with all health trusts, commissioners and providers,
and health overview and scrutiny committees.
________
To add a local perspective we need to
improve the quality of our hospital services.
Sadly I continue to receive serious complaints and as usual it is lack
of communication and continuity of care that leads to the
problems.
An excellent publication by the Royal
College of Nursing entitled "Dignity" blames lack
of dignity for patients on three things:
- the environment and culture of the
PLACE;
- the nature and conduct of the PROCESS
of care;
- the staff involved, PEOPLE.
However one nurse is quoted as
saying,
"I
believe there is always a way around obstacles and primarily it is
you, yourself, your actions, standards and behaviour that deliver
care."
What a message for us all!
R.T.
© Independent
Kidderminster Hospital & Health Concern 1995-2008
(webdesign@chaddesley-corbett.co.uk)
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