What reforms could help the NHS ? : Have your say

[Cbealby17]

The NHS is under an incredible amount of pressure with backlogs worsened by COVID, junior doctors striking costing the service money and highlighting dissatisfaction amongst staff as well as the plea for more funding they are facing unprecedented challenges. So what could be done to alleviate these pressures ? With every reform there are pros and cons but many are dissatisfied with the current service. Here are some reforms that have been proposed by commentators and politicians. What do you think ?

Should students who have a medicine or NHS related degree subsidised by the government be made to do compulsory service for the NHS

Many students who work in subjects related to medicine and the NHS (physiotherapy and radiology) have their degrees subsidised by the government. One of the ideas behind this is that they accrue the skills and knowledge to work in the NHS in the future especially given many complete placements there throughout their studies. However, students are under no obligation to work there, they can travel abroad to work in other countries or may go on to work in other sectors. Whilst this may help compulsory service could restrict the number of students going into research and higher education.

Should it be implemented ?

• Yes
• No

Should the NHS operate at night to increase the number of people able to have scans and diagnoses for serious illness
There is shortage of scans available to scan people for serious illnesses perhaps running a 24hr scan clinic would allow those who are able to travel in the night to be scanned reducing the waiting time and list. However, many may be unable to attend these due to their unsocial hours and they may lack the staff to run them.

Should it be implemented ?

• Yes
• No

Both main parties have said that they are unable to fulfil the pay rise junior doctors are asking for, but should they look to offer other benefits ?
Whilst both Labour and Conservative have said that they are unable to fulfill the pay rise junior doctors are asking for could they offer to provide additional benefits. The government could pay for junior doctors exams which they currently have to pay for (even if it is their first attempt), they could also offer free childcare as many young parents find it hard balancing their jobs and children, or potentially they could be offered greater holiday due to the unsociable hours they work. This would obviously still have cost implications but may help to alleviate the calls for such a high pay rise.

Should it be implemented ?

• Yes
• No

Should patients be fined for missing GP appointments without reasonable excuse ?
There is a massive shortage of GP appointments with many battling it out for one at 8am in the morning. If people miss appointments it means that someone else could have it. Of course many patients have mobility issues so it may cause issues over what is reasonable and unreasonable.

Should it be implemented ?

• Yes
• No

Should secondary students have to study a public health GCSE to educate them about when or not to go the GP, symptoms of serious illness and disease and mental health
Whilst students study this in biology and PSHE (or other equivalents) many do not take this on and it tends to have a focus on cancer and not many other illnesses and diseases. If students knew how to carry out CPR, what to do in the event of an epileptic seizure and new when to go to the GP it could reduce pressures on the NHS.

Should it be implemented ?

• Yes
• No

What do you think, could any other methods be implemented ?

[Chloe]

While I think it’s good for secondary school kids to be educated on serious illnesses etc etc, I just wouldn’t want this possible initiative to go down the route of people having to take their health into their own hands. We are already seeing an increase in people having almost free reign of medications through online pharmacies, often without seeing nor speaking to a real doctor about the health concerns. This is obviously being encouraged so that the weight is taken off the nurses and doctors in the NHS, but I’m worried we are rapidly approaching a point where people are not able to be seen by a health professional and it becomes to norm to use google for all the answers. I also think the NHS loves to hire lesser qualified people to do jobs such as mental health consultations and prescriptions, in to take weight off doctors, which I do not agree with.

[Cbealby17]

Yes I agree, I think there is a real danger with anti-biotics with people taking them when they’re not needed and building up immunity affecting how they work. I think the idea of people taking their health into their own hands, doesn’t draw attention to the real issue of a lack of availability of healthcare professionals.

[jaramillopaula12]

It’s concerning to hear about the mounting pressures on the NHS, especially with the added strain from COVID and ongoing issues like junior doctor strikes. Finding solutions is crucial, but as you mentioned, reforms come with their own set of challenges. It’s important to consider all perspectives and work towards reforms that prioritise both patient care and staff well-being.

[carmennjg]

i think investment in technology and workforce expansion are key strategies that could significantly alleviate the pressures faced by the NHS. By increasing the integration of technology, such as telemedicine and digital health platforms, healthcare services can become more accessible and efficient, reducing the need for physical visits and streamlining patient care processes. Moreover, exploring avenues for expanding the healthcare workforce, including incentives for professionals and streamlined pathways for qualified individuals to join the NHS, can help address staffing shortages and ensure that adequate care is provided to all patients. These combined efforts can enhance the overall resilience and effectiveness of the healthcare system in meeting the evolving needs of the population.