Unless you've been living in a cave for the last few years you can't have failed to notice that the coalition Government has been planning how to restructure the NHS in England. However, there's been very little real in depth press coverage of these changes. Indeed some NHS campaign groups have accused the Government of creating a media black out on the topic.
So we thought that as the Government's reforms come into force today it would be useful to give you a simple run down of the changes, as each and everyone of us will be touched by the changes in some way.
What you need to know...
1) GP-led groups have now taken control of local budgets
Pros: GPs are closer to their patients & their services that those civil servants in Ivory towers
Cons: Few GPs have the additional time or training to manage these changes, many have stated in the media that their hands are tied as they have to follow Government cuts. The perception is that they will have freedom as to how budgets are spent, the reality is...yet to be discovered
2) A new board, NHS England, will oversee the day-to-day running of health services
Pros: this may create more joined up thinking
Cons: does it add another layer of bureaucracy to an already complicated organisation?
3) 152 primary care trusts are scrapped
Pros: will the new NHS England board ensure greater consistency and communication across regions, helping eradicate post code lottery decisions?
Cons: will it make it harder for local people to have a body to complain to and have transparency and clarity on what is happening to health services in their local area?
4) Private companies now make up more of the NHS
Pros: will this make access to treatment simpler, quicker and more efficient?
Cons: or will this mean that private companies will simply cherry pick services and treatments that they want to offer - which are the most profitable for them? Will we find that some vital services not profitable and so waiting lists are extended? Will there be pressure for GPs to use private providers to 'save costs'? Is this the start of a slippery slope that will slowly erode the very nature of the public NHS?
What do you think?
Love or loathe the new NHS reforms?
Do you think that Coeliac services will be cut? Will there be even less prescription food available? Will Coeliac check-ups be cut (from our past surveys it seems like only a tiny minority of you actually have annual check-ups anyway)? Or do you embrace the changes? Would you like to see the NHS fully privatised? Or do you fear that we'll end up like the USA with a two tier healthcare system i.e. for those that can afford to pay for it versus the poor who cannot?
Discover more:
journals.bmj.com/site/nhsre...
keepournhspublic.com/index.php
bbc.co.uk/news/health-21887554
opendemocracy.net/ourkingdo...