Privatization of the National Health Service Assignment (Essay Sample)

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF PRIVATISING THE NHS
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Negative Effects of Privatising the NHS
Privatisation of the National Health Service (NHS) is a key economic and social issue that has sparked controversy and debate amongst key players in the health sector. Apparently, during the electioneering period, privatisation of the NHS is a major issue discussed by politicians during their campaigns, each vowing not to privatise the NHS. However, on the one hand, proponents of privatisation have put forward various discussions to support the idea of privatisation. Firstly, supporters of privatisation argue that privatisation will reduce the overall cost of patients with severe conditions. For instance, patients with hip replacement and hernia replacements could be treated more cheaply and in a quicker manner through the privatised NHS system between U.K and China (Lakhani, 2010). Secondly, advocates argue that privatisation would significantly reduce patients’ waiting time, a primary characteristic of the NHS system. On the other hand, opponents firmly believe that privatisation under the facade of patient choice has far much-reaching consequences to the elderly and poor citizens and the economy in general. Markedly, private hospitals aim at maximising profits while at the same time minimize costs. As a result, research has found that in the event of privatisation, a majority of non-governmental hospitals will discriminate the poor citizens and elderly patients who require constant and specialised treatment (Johnston, 2016). Subsequently, failing to uphold the core principle of equality and fairness to all. Also, if the NHS is left for the private sector, corruption and fraud cases would significantly increase due to lack of accountability. Finally, provision of quality healthcare would be compromised as private clinics are more concerned about the profits of their shareholders (Fielden and Appleby, 2007). Therefore, for the sake of its citizens and residents, the U.K. government should put in place measures to ensure that the NHS is not privatised and that it remains accessible to all regardless of their socio-economic background.
Opponents of privatisation strongly feel that privatising of the country’s NHS would lead to inequality in the provision of quality healthcare to the poor and the gap between the rich and the poor would continue to increase. With the onset of privatisation, unfairness in the administration of quality healthcare to the elderly and poor citizens is being felt across the country. For instance, if privatisation is allowed many private hospitals will discriminate against the elderly since they require constant and expensive treatments which the private hospitals might consider a loss to them (Johnston, 2016). Also, if a financially deprived citizen requires medical attention, non-governmental medical centres may opt to offer low-quality medication to the person since they cannot foot their bills. However, if the NHS is not privatised all citizens regardless of their circumstances can access quality medical services in a public hospital without being discriminated.
Privatisation would lead to an erosion of the fundamental principles that were laid down on 5th June 1948, when the NHS was formed. During its creation, Aneurin Bevan, the then Minister of Health, insisted on the three core principles that should guide the National Health Service- free at the point of delivery, meet every individual’s needs, and should be based on clinical need and not on the ability to pay (NHS.UK, 2016). However, with privatisation slowly creeping in, the principles may only remain on paper. For instance, the impoverished people may be denied a chance for effective treatment at the private clinics, yet one of the doctrines in the NHS is healthcare should be provided based on clinical need and not the financial ability of the person. Also, the medical requirements of the elderly may not be met by the private clinics, since they have a false assumption that their routine medical procedures may affect their profits. Consequently, violating the principle of medical services should meet every person’s need (NHS.UK, 2016).
Privatisation would lead to undesirable profits at the expense of a patient’s well-being. According to a labour inquiry, led by Debbie Abrahams, a Member of Parliament, privatisation would lead to private medical centres ‘cherry picking’ patients and methods of treatment. According to Debby, private hospitals are more concerned about their levels of profit and will do just anything to please their shareholders through profits (The Week UK, 2017). As a result, private hospitals would take advantage of the privatisation policy and overcharge the patients, or over treat them so that they can be reimbursed heftily by the government. Moreover, critics fear that with different private clinics offering various medical services, it may cause different medical standards, unlike the uniformity, provided by the NHS (The Week UK, 2017).
Finally, opponents of privatisation argue that it may lead to fraud cases and lack of accountability of public funds. Markedly, one of the sub-principles of the NHS is transparency of the NHS to the public, communities, and patients that it serves. Since the NHS is publicly funded through taxation, the government sets a legal framework, and it is accountable to the Parliament (Fielden and Appleby, 2007). For instance, the NHS is supposed to publish documents about their operations. However, with the dawn of privatisation, it may be difficult for the government to control all the private clinics fully; subsequently, creating a corruption loophole.
On the contrary, proponents of privatisation argue that allowing private hospitals to be players in the NHS would result in a reduction in waiting time at the public hospitals and reduce the cost of treatment for critical patients by outsourcing medical services from India. The NHS is characterised with long waiting hours before medical care is offered (Campbell, 2015). According to statistics publis...