Report to the People
23rd June 2003
Putting Patients First
A
friend tells the story about the time, back in the olden days, when his
neighbour up the stairs went into hospital for a kidney stone and came out with
a wooden leg. She never dreamt of
pointing out the error, of course, as this would just be “bothering the
doctor.” And, besides, her leg
might have needed replacing in a year or so anyway, so she should be grateful
she’d had it done now.
This
story might seem ridiculous today, but it does highlight a problem we’re still
trying to solve: how we make sure the NHS puts the interests of its core market
and paymasters – or, as they’re otherwise known, the patients – first.
Indeed,
exactly how we, to use the jargon, place “wider public involvement at the
heart of a modernised NHS” is the subject of a major forthcoming NHS Reform
Bill.
As
I said when we came to debate the issue in the Parliament last week, we have all
felt at some point ill-informed about our treatment; or patronised by a GP’s
secretary; or intimidated by an overbearing surgeon.
And
I have met many doctors, nurses, patients and for that matter MSPs who have at
some point been frustrated or enraged with NHS bureaucracy.
Services it, perhaps unfairly, seems, can be put under threat with little
more than the stroke of a bureaucrat’s pen.
Just look at the ongoing Rankin Maternity saga.
The unit has been under threat for years and has already been subject to
a supposed public consultation, which was run so badly its report had to be
downgraded and the exercise started again from scratch.
It
is therefore good news that NHS bureaucracy is set to be slimmed down and new
safeguards to ensure public involvement introduced.
But
I would argue there is room to go further.
I
would like to see serious consideration given to two recently tabled Private
Members Bills which would require direct elections for the public to the
majority of places on Health Boards and require Boards to consult when proposing
to change the use of health service premises.
And
if we are looking at making Health Boards more efficient and more accountable,
why not also look at the other unelected bodies and QUANGOs which hold much sway
over the delivery of health services?
We
are right to aim to put patients’ interests at the heart of the NHS.
But if we are to make the warm words a reality, all areas of outmoded
working, protectionism and vested interest must be addressed.
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