The Great British National Health Service

The National Health Service

I was reading today about the massive problems within the British National Health Service. According to the Red Cross NHS overcrowding is a humanitarian crisis after it’s worst week in 15 years sees A & Es shut their doors. The NHS is supposed to be the envy of the world but when you read about bed shortages and people dying because they have waited too long for ambulances, or for treatment then there is cause for serious concern.

The UK’s free health service was launched in 1948 and has been since then the source of great national pride. I’ve been treated by NHS doctors and had stays in hospital 4 times over the years and can say from experience that the doctors, nurses and non medical staff do a marvellous job under difficult circumstances.

Shortage of Trained Medical Staff

The problem for a number of years has been a lack of funding and a shortage of training places for doctors and nurses. Because of the shortage of home trained medical staff we have been hiring doctors and nurses from abroad, some of who don’t speak very good English. That puts patients health and even lives at risk and we should ensure that all of our medical staff speak and understand good English apart from having a high standard of training.

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