Nothing is beyond criticism...

Following the death of Stephen Hawking and Jeremy Corbin quoting him on the NHS at today's PMQs I have a few words / thoughts on the subject...

For reference purposes: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2018/03/why-getting-rid-penny-piece-good-move, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/14/stephen-hawking-campaigner-nhs

Universal Healthcare is undoubtedly a good idea but, as it stands, it has several fundamental flaws:

1. an ageing population unwilling to pay more for the services they demand
2. an ever-increasing range of services demanded, many of which are life-style rather than medical need e.g. weight loss, smoking cessation, IVF.
3. a total lack of accountability when things go wrong. It is virtually impossible to take on the NHS and if you do the process takes YEARS.

I am glad for Mr Hawking that he considers he received excellent care under the NHS. My dad is similarly all about praising the NHS but I have received hate on social media because I have and will criticise the system - I have had poor care, particularly regarding BOTH my kids' births (...and that time it took NINE YEARS to get a biopsy result); as has my mum, my late grandma, my stepdad, at least 2 of my cousins...so far none of us has died as a result* but TBH that's sheer dumb luck.
*one of my cousins did die but in all fairness almost certainly would have done even if their brain cancer treatment hadn't been delayed due to a medical balls up

I wouldn't want us to have a private healthcare system only BUT the advantage that it has over a state system is accountability. The NHS is set up so as to be virtually untouchable; we're conditioned to think of it as a gift rather than a service we're paying for. Just because it is 'free at the point of use' doesn't make it free.

I think it is a tad unfair that people such as who have had positive experiences of the NHS are often dismissive of those of us who're dissatisfied with the service we receive. People will undoubtedly see these things from an individual perspective, just as I see it in terms of the cockups that affected me personally, but it is important to remember other points of view exist. I am glad that others haven't suffered but it bugs me that those who haven't disbelieve those who have.

I think it is hugely problematic that people who complain about NHS treatment (or lack thereof) are dismissed as 'ungrateful'. It is not about gratitude, it is about a service this nation pays for and need and when it fails should be held accountable. If you've read any of my other blogs you may have gathered I am a biiiiig fan of accountability and taking responsibility.

I think it is also naive for people, such as Mr Hawking, to simplify the problems of the NHS down to funding. Yes, that is certainly an issue (point 1 above) but services also need to be streamlined to essentials (point 2 above) as well as a full scale overhaul to prevent funds being lost in bureaucracy, especially when it comes to lengthy litigation (point 3 above). 

In that last instance it would be infinitely better if the NHS accepted accountability far more quickly and offered compensation according to the harm done. I get that they're trying to protect the tax-payer's money but it also harms the NHS's public image. For example: a family with a child brain damaged due to birth injury takes almost 12 years on average to resolve (source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/17/tripling-in-nhs-legal-bills-for-catastrophic-childbirth-blunders/) - it's a public relations nightmare that engenders distrust! 

What's worse is that patients and families affected by medical negligence are often derogatorily labelled 'vultures' while terms like 'compensation culture' are bandied around. Over and over I see this put-up-and-shut-up attitude being repeated; doctors and nurses are put on some kind of pedestal while accusations of wrongdoing are met with scorn.

The problem is far more deep-rooted than mere funding and without addressing the issues throwing more money at the NHS will not resolve anything in the long run. Money helps but it really doesn't fix everything.

Edit:
After posting this blog I woke up the very next morning to this story about a mentally ill teenage girl: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-43227589

"In the 10 days that Sherry attempted to kill herself nine times,

she was seen by 18 different healthcare professionals,

ranging from staff from A&E to Camhs.

But none provided the help she needed to address the cause of her problems"

It's absolutely insane that a family have to go through so much before getting the help they clearly needed YEARS earlier. She was finally sectioned by a police officer but even that resulted in her spending time in an adult unit before being referred on to a childrens' one...160 miles from home.

"the teenager had landed in A&E, been patched up

and deemed well enough to be sent home with no further help.

Another time she'd taken all of her prescribed medication in one go

and ended up in critical care for two days.

But once the physical symptoms had been dealt with,

to her parent's despair, she was simply discharged and sent home"

Tell me, where the health 'care' is in this story? In what way were they not failed at every turn by health care professionals? Would more money have made the "unsympathetic security staff and receptionists who are openly exasperated" or the doctors who repeatedly discharged her do their jobs any better? I sincerely doubt it.