National Health Service and Global Health Issues - Essay Example

Introduction UK has one of the largest healthcare systems in the world with England, Scotland and Ireland maintaining their own publically funded system. It is also important to note that most of the healthcare system is actually funded through the tax money however; there also exists a small private healthcare system which caters to the needs of those who can afford it and are not willing to go through the waiting lines of public health system. National Health Service is the primary organization responsible for the delivery of most of the healthcare services in the country. Since its foundation in 1948, it has developed into the largest healthcare system in the world which is funded through the public money. It is also considered as one of the most efficient and comprehensive healthcare systems in the world. (Gillies, 2003) NHS, with primary responsibility to administer healthcare in the country, however, works through the collaboration of different smaller organizations which contribute towards the overall achievement of healthcare. However, despite controlling most of the country’s healthcare system, there are also private sector providers of healthcare which offers important healthcare delivery services which are separate from NHS and are primarily funded through private contributions or through insurance. This paper will explore and study the healthcare system of England and will attempt to answer the question of how the healthcare is primarily delivered, how it is funded, how the care is delivered to chronically ill patients, patients who are dying and the selection criteria for patients for certain procedures. How Healthcare is delivered in England England has started to revamp its healthcare system since 2013 and new changes are being put in place to further rationalize and improve the healthcare system within the country. With the new changes, the roles have been redefined however, the primary healthcare delivery is still in the hands of National Health Service or NHS as it is called in the country. The overall healthcare services are delivered in England through the hospitals running under the management of NHS. Apart from the hospitals, there are smaller clinics which are located at various places within the country to offer easy and accessible GP services to the patients and mostly cater to the needs of the patients working as Outpatient Clinics. (Department of Health, 2014) Private clinics and certain other prescription services are also in place catering to the various needs of the patients. Such delivery services are offered either through the private clinics or through NHS also as NHS offers priority services to the patients paying privately for their medical services either through their own private contribution, employer contribution or through the insurance companies. As such the private healthcare is also offered through both the NHS as well as other private clinics at regional levels to cater to the different healthcare needs of the patients which are otherwise not offered through NHS. How Healthcare is acquired? Most of the healthcare in England is funded through the public money therefore it is part of the government efforts to create a welfare state where health is mostly funded through the public money. It is also however, critical to note that there is a small private sector medical facilities also which are delivered either through the direct payment by the patients or through the medical insurance. Private medical healthcare is also offered through the employers’ contribution into the salaries of the employees or through arrangement of insurance. It is however, discretionary and is not offered to all the employees by their employers. The overall health delivery is done through NHS with private sector also contributing towards the delivery of core and non-core healthcare services. Who pays for the care? As discussed above, most of the health care is delivered through government owned NHS which offers these services through its hospitals and clinics. However, the private medical treatment can be obtained either through obtaining a direct health insurance by the individuals themselves or through their employers. NHS not provides all the procedures and therefore in order to get such facilities, private healthcare is needed. Procedures such as eye care, dermatology and cosmetics treatment and private GP services etc are privately provided therefore for such facilities patients have to contribute themselves. Such and extra facilities however, can be obtained either by buying the insurance directly by the patients through their own sources or being provided by the employers as the added benefits in the compensation of the employees. However, such benefits are not offered to all employees and mostly private insurance is funded through the own sources of the patients. NHS also offers services to foreigners at the higher charges as England is also one of the best places for medical tourism also. People from other countries also avail NHS services and are charged at the rates which are offered to the private customers. However, the overall ratio of such patients is relatively low and most of the health care is either paid through the public funds or through the Care for Chronically ill patients There are different options of care available for patients requiring care and who are chronically ill. Since England is a welfare State therefore those who deliberately choose to care for the chronically ill patients are also paid certain welfare payments in order to compensate them for the loss of wages due to time involved in caring for the ill patients. As such, the care for ill patients at the homes is partially funded by the State itself also. Apart from this, there also specialized care services such as Bupa which care for both the chronically ill as well as old patients. Bupa is the largest care organization in the country which offer care services at its own facilities as well as through the patient’s own premises. By creating links with the service providers, BUPA actually delivers a range of services including arranging hospital visits for the chronically ill, following up with their doctors and also providing other health care related facilities including individual care through its care assistants etc. Care for dying population Like chronically ill patients, care for dying population is also done through a combination of home care and private care. Apart from treating the patients at the last stages of the life, the role of NHS is limited however, private and home care is relatively more prominent in offering such services. Old homes are operating under the private ownership wherein old homes are established to provide services related to the patients which are dying. NHS also plays its part in offering hospital services to the dying population however, the overall standards of healthcare services provided are not considered as up to the mark with the private care. (Gregory, 2014) Patient Selection Criteria NHS has a program with the name of NHS Choices under which there has been a new initiative wherein patients are given the choices to not only know more about their physicians and consultants but also that of the treatment they receive. Though the overall choices may not be extensive in terms of allowing patients complete choice, however, patients still have the choices. Patients also have the choices available to choose their own hospitals. Apart from this, patients also have the rights to choose their own treatment provided the treatment meets the overall standards set up by the NHS so that overall standards of services and treatment are maintained while at the same time allowing patients the relative degree of freedom to not only choose their own hospitals but also the treatment prescribed under the NHS standards.1 References Department of Health. (2014). The Health and Care system explained. Retrieved from Government of UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-and-care-system-explained/the-health-and-care-system-explained Gillies, A. (2003). What Makes a Good Healthcare System?: Comparisons, Values, Drivers. London: Radcliffe Publishing. Gregory, A. (2014, May 15). Dying patients not treated with dignity and more than half are not told theyre nearing end, report finds. Retrieved from Miror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nhs-hospitals-crisis-dying-patients-3542398 Read More