What kind of NHS do you want?

What do I want from the NHS? Well I would like it to be accessible, as I would like to be treated locally. I would like to think that there is a better chance for me to get better in hospital rather than catch illnesses by being there. I would like to think that the major effort in the hospital is to take care of the patients rather than to manage the business. I don't particularly want a business. My preference is for the tax payer to pick up the bill for people who fall ill. It would be good if someone was responsible who didn't have a vested in their own salary. This could lead to less activity for more cost.

I don't want to keep ringing the GP surgery for an appointment because all the lines are engaged and then find out that there are no appointments. I would like to see the same doctor each time that I went to my GP surgery. If I have to be admitted to hospital then I want to have a bed in my local hospital. I don't want a choice of ten hospitals. I wouldn't know the difference and even if the GP gave me kind advice that the care is better at one hospital then it is worse at others. This division of care would increase further and my local hospital may then close. I want local accountability. If I want to speak to an elected politician about my NHS then it is first stop Westminster. There is no local accountability.

This wish list is not rocket science. What has happened is that management has become more important than care. Local accountability has been taken from us, and the people who paid for their local hospital (prior to the formation of the NHS) now find it closes for the sake of greater efficiency. People who can drive to their GP are fine but less and less people will find that they are in walking distance of their GP. I could say a lot more but this has been a long blog anyway.

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