We love “our” NHS

Read Anne Marie’s views in her weekly column; an advertisement sponsored by Conservative supporters.

We love “our” NHS

The recent cold snap saw a massive increase in A&E admissions as thousands of people injured themselves on the ice. Twenty three per cent of all admissions over the last month have been as a result of slips and falls, pushing capacity to the limit. But that NHS that we all love did us proud. They were there when we needed them!

As luck would have it, I was one of those. I broke my ankle while walking the dogs in Bradley Manor Woods. Thank you to the two very kind passers by and the Woolners who came to my rescue! My treatment in Torbay Hospital was excellent and I was very impressed how the doctors and nurses coped. Many of the day wards had become full boarding wards to cope.

What’s not working and why?

Despite massive increases in spending, the gap in health outcomes between the UK and the rest of Europe has actually widened. Why? Because meeting targets and ticking a box has become more important than patient care. Three times as many managers are being recruited than nurses into the NHS. Every health professional I know wants to see that changed.

There has also been a shift to centralise services. Hospitals like Torbay are expected to do more and more, while smaller community hospitals, like Newton Abbot risk losing its renal dialysis service.

Changing things for the Better

So what could we do differently? Put patients first. Stop measuring processes – measure the results that really matter, like improving cancer and stroke survival rates or reducing infections. Cut the cost of NHS administration by a third and transfer the resources to support doctors and nurses.

Let’s make any cost effective treatment available through the NHS, instead of bowing to NICE so that British people are among the first not the last to benefit. We could end the confusion about what number to call for urgent care and just have one to run alongside the emergency number 999. And people could have access to a doctor or nurse when the local family doctor’s surgery isn’t open – not just a telephone answering service.

Patients need more information about the options available to them and the performance of trusts, hospitals, GPs, doctors and other staff available to the public on line. Without it, choice is meaningless. Hospitals and GPs should be paid for the quality of what they do - so hospitals should not be paid in full for a treatment which leaves a patient with an avoidable infection.

…and those dentists!

I am carrying out a survey on local healthcare provision. Thank you to all of you who have already responded. One of your biggest problems seems to be finding an NHS dentist. I am pleased to say that the Conservatives have pledged to introduce a new dentistry contract that will tie newly-qualified dentists into the NHS for five years!