The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
We begin our health check of the NHS in Tayside as it turns 70.
In the first of a four-part series marking the 70th anniversary of the NHS in July, Michael Alexander hears about potential solutions to the pressures being faced
It is the “cradle to grave” health service which was created to provide free and universal access to healthcare, and has helped shape the experiences of birth, life and death for the majority of the British public since 1948.
But as the 70th anniversary of the NHS approaches on July 5, how true does it remain to those founding principles, and what can be done to improve its fortunes in future?
Today, in the first of a four-part series looking at the achievements and challenges facing the NHS, we speak to some of those in the service in Tayside and Fife to find out what it’s like working on the frontlines and hear what the potential solutions are to the challenges ahead.
Over the next few days, we’ll study how the NHS has dramatically helped raise life expectancy and expectations.
However, it has also become a “victim of its own success” as the pressures of an ageing population mount, treatments and technologies become more expensive and budgets tighten.
We are told different opinions on funding, management and how to deal with staff recruitment and retention.
However, we also hear how the NHS continues to lead global research and development with Dundee-based experts among those working on projects that could save lives around the world.
According to the most recent report into the state of the NHS in Scotland, published in October 2017, the nation’s health is not improving and a failure to put key measures in place is threatening future care provision.
The annual review carried out by Audit Scotland concluded that Scotland’s NHS, which is devolved to the Scottish Government, is struggling to keep up with the challenges of an increasingly unhealthy population, tighter budgets, staff recruitment problems, more expensive medicine and a “demanding public and political environment”.
The report said that more people are waiting longer to be seen, the majority of national performance targets were not met and general practice is under pressure from ongoing recruitment problems and low morale.
The Auditor General noted that, despite this, staff are committed and overall patient satisfaction is high.
However, costs are increasing and there is a growing demand for services.
Although the health budget was £12.9 billion in 2016-17 – 43% of the Scottish Government budget, up from 38% in 2008 – unprecedented levels of savings of almost £390 million had to be made in order to break even.
The report said there are some signs of progress in areas such as integrating health and social care, developing better data and embedding a “realistic medicine” approach. However, it added that key building blocks still need to be put in place by the Scottish Government, NHS boards and integration authorities.
These include a long-term framework clarifying how moving care into the community will be funded, along with greater flexibility for NHS boards on financial planning.
Other recommendations include creating a comprehensive approach to workforce planning, including a cost breakdown.
Scotland’s NHS is struggling to keep up with an unhealthy population
If there is one thing in this country people are proud of it is the National Health Service – and rightly so. Yet in these times of austerity, it is coming under unprecedented pressure.
Locally there have been numerous examples of the issues faced – and there have been several high profile casualties as financial woes have mounted up.
Within Tayside, of course, there was a furore as endowment funds earmarked for charity were instead used to shore up ailing finances.
Members of the health board’s top management team paid with their jobs and were subsequently replaced, the case having been given an even higher profile due to it blowing up in the backyard of Health Minister Shona Robison.
Yet the issues are far from confined to this part of the world.
All over the country health boards face a struggle to make ends meet.
An ageing population is also taking its toll, meaning the NHS will need to adapt and modernise to survive.
Over the next few days we will examine the issues faced and speak to some of those most intimately involved.
We are justifiably proud of our world-leading health service.
Let us hope our children and children’s children will be able to share that same pride in years to come.