LETTER: NHS is being planned to fail
It is clear that doors are being opened for large private corporations (American health corporations have long been pressuring for this to happen).
The door was previously opened to the private sector by the Health and Social Care legislation passed and implemented by the present and the previous Conservative governments.
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Hide AdThe worse thing is the hiding of these developments from the British public under the guise of slogans like healthy competition, greater efficiency and (commercial organisational) managerial expertise.
This also paves the way for the introduction of an insurance company based hunting system for the NHS.
Yet many American doctors and medical staff have warned about past plans to marketise the NHS not to take that route in Britain as it could only harm health care provision.
The Chichester Observer ran a successful campaign to keep St Richard’s Hospital open. Whether this outcome would have happened under the proposed ‘Sustainability and Transformation Plan’ is highly doubtful.
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Hide AdAlso an anecdotal case from the USA in circa 1985 illustrates what could happen under the proposed system is that of a 27-year-old Maryland man who had a serious heart attack. He was not covered by insurance and 12 hospitals had to be approached before one would agree to take him in for treatment.
The quartet of NHS England, NHS Improvement, The Department of Health and HM Treasury are fully aware of and intend the likely consequences of their plan. The NHS as we know it is being planned to fail.
Jennifer and Gordon Churchill
The Saltings
Birdham