National Health Service - United Kingdom - Essay Example

The approach of the NHS is patient centric. The details of services carried out by the NHS are schematically given in a diagram provided on the web site of the organisation which at Figure 1. The NHS has a three tiered strategic structure. Thus at Tier 1 is the apex body of the Department of Health, UK which provides funding, directional support and other related functions. The Strategic Health Authorities are designed to manage and improve local services, while the Primary Care Trusts or PCTs assess local needs and organise care.

The provision of health care has been divided into two phases. Phase 1 is providing primary care which comprises of services as that of GP Practices, Dentists, Opticians and pharmacists and so on. NHS Direct is also a part of Primay Care. Secondary Care caters for emergency and urgent care and is provided by various trusts such as the ambulance trust, NHS trust, mental care trust and care trusts. A detailed survey of the NHS is being carried out as per succeeding paragraphs to provide a better insight into its functioning and suitability for adoption of the suggested model of e governance.

NHS is said to be a patient centric organization, thus patients are provided with dedicated care. However there is a general complaint that this is dependent on the area in which they live, as a result those in relatively far flung areas receive much less support than those located centrally near prominent places. Attempts are also being made for greater involvement of patients by encouraging them to make their own choices, reorganizing them as partners in the system to support health professionals and facilitate decision making through forums and foundation trusts.

This has increased in greater outreach to patients.2 Ensuring Safety of Patients and Professionals There is a high need to ensure that patients are assured that the care they receive is safe and the best possible. The staff also has support of the system. This enables attaining high quality of health service, responsive to the needs of the people and provides the organisation and the people who are working within, freedom and support to work with confidence. A number of inititatives have been taken to achieve this to include the Star Rating system at the national level and encouraging staff to out report, "adverse incidents".

This is done with a view to carry out analysis and share information through out the system. Reporting processes at the local level are evolved with clarity and for creating a system of, "clinical governance".Patient ChoiceThe key to patient satisfaction in the NHS is Patient Choice. This provides them control over appointment dates and time to suit their work and family commitments. There is also a choice of place of treatment, of selecting a hospital where best possible treatment is available, with limited waiting list and appropriate availability of specialists.

This also ensures that hospitals compete for patients by improving their services and in turn provide better service to patients.3 InformationInformation is the key to providing patients the choice for all aspects, which have been stated above, be it