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Monday 14 October 2013

An NHS free at the point of use could soon be a thing of the past, officials warn !

A National Health Service free at the point of use will soon be "unsustainable", if the political parties do not come forward with radical plans for change before the 2015 election, top health officials have warned.


Stagnant health spending combined with ever rising costs and demand mean the NHS is facing "the most challenging period in its 65-year existence", the NHS Confederation said, as the membership body that brings together all NHS providers launched its 2015 Challenge.

In a frank assessment of the dangers faced by the health service, senior officials at the confederation say that the two years following the next general election will be pivotal in deciding whether the NHS can continue to provide free health care for all patients.

More on this story here.

1 comment:

Lowcarb team member said...

Well worth reading the whole article. Everyone should think of contacting their MP to at least start the debate.

All this nonsense about more locally-based care for chronic conditions particularly bothers me. I would dearly like some information on how transferring diabetes care to local Practices has worked out. How do they know "where we want it?"

Does anyone ever ask us?

There will be more of this transferring of patients with chronic conditions and this inevitably means that they will receive a lower level of care as we have already witnessed. This will not, in the end save any money but will just mean more complications and hospital admittances. All sounds so cosy doesn't it? Care on your doorstep? That is where the real postcode lottery comes in.

On the other hand what else can they do? I would really like to see some sensible debate now - and not just as part of the electioneering nonsense.

It is probably true that there is much more chance of getting something done in the first two years of a new parliament, but unless they start talking now, we will be in the same situation at the same point in the next parliament.

There is no point in "care" which is effectually only a sham and window-dressing.

Kath