NHS Job Shop: “Working for Health” in Kentish Town. Closed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is an outstanding must-read op-ed article in the Guardian. It argues that waiting lists are at their highest in eight years and in the absence of extra money, we need an open and honest public debate about where the cuts should fall.

Source: The gap between funds and delivery is a chasm in the NHS: something has to give | Chris Hopson | Opinion | The Guardian

Whilst I endorse the broad thrust of the argument in the article and the evidence presented, I’m not in agreement with the political assumptions. The author, Chris Hopson is CEO of the NHS Providers, so it’s important to recognize that he’s inherently biased and trying to protect the status quo.

As an expert in delivering strategic change, it is obvious that the NHS will continue to collapse without massive funding increases. Even if the funds were available, it’s questionable whether their deployment could effectively redress matters. Sadly the NHS lost its way years ago, with powerful stakeholders trying to maximize their political leverage.

Hopson is right that piecemeal cuts are sub-optimal. Politicians and the public need to support enormous cuts to services, together with radical reforms.

This blog has long argued in favor of scrapping the NHS and replacing it with a Best Practice model public healthcare system, for example based on Germany.

Thoughts?