Billions spent on NHS should go to frontline

For several weeks now, we have seen NHS senior managers, politicians and, therefore, the press implying that the increase in NHS waiting lists is due to the Covid pandemic.

This is only partially true; but it is not the whole story.

The fact is that for many months, if not years, prior to the pandemic, waiting lists have been increasing due to an increase in demand and inadequate resources to meet that demand.

Many patients have had to wait weeks to see a GP; and many hospitals were failing to meet their targets regarding the waiting times to be seen and treated in A&E, for outpatients appointments and for investigations and treatment.

The reason for this is that, over the years, ever since the birth of the NHS in 1948, many new investigations (such as new blood tests and types of scan) and new treatments (such as new drugs and operations for cancer, heart disease and arthritis) have become available.

These are all highly effective – but expensive. Also, the population has been ageing as people live longer and it tends to be the older members of society who get these diseases.

Over many years, successive governments have ignored the warnings and advice from the professions about these increasing pressures on the service.

There has been a shortage of front-line professional staff where the patients are treated. There has been an increasing difficulty in recruiting new doctors (both GPs and hospital doctors), nurses and other professional staff; and an inability to retain experienced staff in these professions due to their poor ‘terms and conditions of service’ (including pay).

Politicians keep telling us how many £millions or £billions they have put into the NHS; but we never get told what percentage of this reaches the frontline.

There can be little doubt that the NHS, now, is at crisis point; and in danger of breaking down in some places.

There is an urgent need for a fundamental review of the NHS to decide what sort of service it should be providing, its system of management, and its method of funding.

Malcolm Morrison

Retired Orthopaedic Surgeon

Prospect Hill

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We need govt focused on environment

Dr Maurice writes that he thinks the Government should make it obligatory for developers to fit all new homes with solar panels.

It was, indeed, mandatory under legislation introduced by New Labour right up until about 2015, when the Tory-led coalition repealed the regulations.

I believe it may still be a requirement in Scotland.

The large, semi-monopolistic companies that comprise the house construction industry are among the most generous financial supporters of the Tory Party.

Anything which impinges on the companies’ business plans to routinely make profits in excess of twenty per cent is robustly opposed and with the support of their lackeys in Westminster the industry usually gets its way.

The provision of solar panels would add directly to building costs and might even require stronger, more costly, roof structures as well.

There’s almost no likelihood of solar panels becoming mandatory until we get a change of Government.

England needs rulers that are more focussed on our environmental problems than on the Conservative Party bank balance.

Don Reeve

Horder Mews

Old Town

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