NHS: Existential threat

Here’s another heart wrenching story from the UK:

The threat to NHS services is urgent and existential | Financial Times

The UK’s health and care system has been failed by successive governments and is now failing its own staff and the populations we serve.

On July 12, every ambulance trust in England declared a major incident. It was described as the “worst night ever” in acute care due to staff shortages, worsening response times and ambulances stuck outside rammed-full A&E departments. Waiting times within A&Es are higher because there are so few beds on the wards to admit patients. And those wards struggle to discharge patients because of sustained cuts to social and community healthcare. The short-term Covid “hospital discharge fund” was closed in March.

In elective care, there are now 6.5mn people on waiting lists for outpatient appointments, investigations, procedures or operations and likely several million more “hidden waiters”. Delays are lengthening.

I think it is cheaper to fly those requiring care to countries offering medical tourism (and align with the respective healthcare organisations).

I hope the NHS can heal itself.