Comment EDITOR’S COMMENTwith LOUISE FRAMPTON THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL Editor
Louise Frampton
louiseframpton@stepcomms.com
Technical Editor Kate Woodhead
Journal Administration Katy Cockle
katycockle@stepcomms.com
Design Steven Dillon
Business Manager
James Scrivens
jamesscrivens@stepcomms.com
Publisher Geoff King
geoffking@stepcomms.com
Publishing Director Trevor Moon
trevormoon@stepcomms.com
STEP COMMUNICATIONS ISSN No. 1478-5641
© Step Communications Ltd, 2023 Single copy: £19.00 per issue. Annual journal subscription: UK £114.00 Overseas: £150.00
The Clinical Services Journal is published in January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October and November by Step Communications Ltd, Step House,
North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)1892 779999 Email:
info@clinicalservicesjournal.com Web:
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com
The Publisher is unable to take any responsibility for views
expressed by contributors. Editorial views are not necessarily shared by the journal. Readers are expressly advised that while the contents of this publication are believed to be accurate, correct and complete, no reliance should be placed upon its contents as being applicable to any particular circumstances.
This publication is copyright under the Berne Convention and the International Copyright Convention.
All rights reserved, apart from any copying under the UK
Copyright Act 1956, part 1, section 7. Multiple copies of the contents of the publication without permission is always illegal.
Follow us on twitter: @csjmagazine
Follow the CSJ LinkedIn page. Search Clinical Services Journal
No mood for a party: the NHS at 75 years old
At the time of writing, the NHS had turned 75, but instead of celebrations, the national mood was a sombre one. Against a backdrop of strikes, long waiting lists, and waning staff morale, it has been a less than “happy” birthday – the party balloons have deflated, and the party guests are too tired to blow out the candles. Just to add to the air of despondency, three major health and care research institutes issued a warning that “continued political short-termism will leave the NHS unlikely to reach its centenary”. The Health Foundation, Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund wrote to the leaders of the three largest political parties in England stating: “75 years after its creation, the National Health Service is in a critical condition. Pressures on services are extreme and public satisfaction is at its lowest since it first began to be tracked 40 years ago. Despite this, public support for the NHS as an institution is rock solid.” The letter, sent to Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer and Ed Davey, called on them to make the upcoming general election a decisive break point, by ending “years of short-termism in NHS policy-making” and providing services with the investment and reform they need. The think tanks state that recovering NHS services and reducing waiting times for treatment should be a key priority for any current or future Government. But they warn that promising unachievable, unrealistically fast improvements without a long-term plan to address the underlying causes of the current crisis is a strategy “doomed to failure”. The joint letter highlighted four key areas where long-term policies coupled with considered
investment would help chart a path back to a stronger health service: l Invest in the physical resources the NHS needs to do its job including equipment, beds and buildings that are fit for purpose.
l Deliver long overdue reform of adult social care. l Commit to a cross-government strategy over the course of the next parliament to improve the underlying social and economic conditions that shape the health of the nation.
l Build on the recently published NHS long term workforce plan with sustained commitment to providing the resources it needs to succeed.
The think tank chief executives wrote: “For the public, the NHS remains the jewel in the country’s crown, even if it is losing its shine.” You can read the full letter at:
www.kingsfund.org. uk/publications/nhs-75-letter-party-leaders There is no doubt it will take time and significant investment to build the NHS back, after
years of underinvestment. But the NHS was also conceived at a time of great austerity – it was born out of hardship and brought hope. It changed the lives of ordinary people, and I am hopeful that it will reach its centenary – it is a jewel in the crown worth fighting for. Aneurin Bevan is often quoted as saying, the NHS “will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it.” While there is some debate over whether he actually said this, I think we can all agree with the sentiment. If there was ever a need to state this, it is now. Opinion polls show that the public still have faith in the NHS, even though their faith is
currently being tested. Ultimately, having hope for the future is important for recovery – whether it is a patient undergoing difficult treatment, or the NHS facing the toughest challenges in its 75-year history. Hope gives us the motivation to carry on, to endure, to keep on fighting.
In the right hands, with the right vision, I firmly believe that the next big, milestone birthday could become one of celebration. Of course, it all rather depends on who turns up for the party. Looking after our NHS staff will be key.
louiseframpton@stepcomms.com Get in touch and give us your views, email me:
August 2023 I
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com 5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
