How to solve the NHS crisis

Sir, – Ian Allan’s frustration (Letters, January 10)over the crisis in the NHS and in particular accident and emergency (A/E) departments is understandable, but I fear that some of his analysis of the cause and its solution may be off the mark.

It does raise the question though of why, after over half a century of “free” NHS care, we seem to have a growing burden of disease and illness in our population and not less; which surely contributes to why the resources (which are considerable) increasingly struggle to cope with the demands laid on the service.

The solution of giving more sticking plasters (GP’s working all hours) is a temporary and expensive fix, when we should be reducing the need for the plasters.

Health education, better lifestyle choices and self-management of minor illness is also needed, but it might take a generation to reap benefits.

In addition, more residential care facilities would relieve pressure on hospital beds.

If GPs were to work all hours and holidays, I doubt that it would solve all of A&E’s problems.

GPs don’t work in isolation.

They would need to be assisted by practice nurses, as well as attendant receptionists and pharmacists.

They would also need access to hospital consultants, radiology and laboratory services (backed by specimen collection), and public transport for patients.

To provide this level of service would require far more than the 800 GPs (and said services) already proposed by our politicians to ease the NHS crisis.

I shudder to think how this could be funded.

It is a worrying situation, but I don’t think that simply asking an already overworked group of medical professionals to work even harder is going to help in the long run.

Whatever the answer to this predicament is, it is not going to be an easy one. Alistair Montgomery. 8 Beechwood Terrace, Dundee.