We must pay more for the NHS or watch it wither and die - Euan McColm

A Royal Commission into the future of the service would let us hear from experts who know what it needs rather than politicians who promise then fail to deliver

If a major hospital caught fire, we’d expect the swiftest possible response from the emergency services. We’d take for granted the actions of firefighters and paramedics and, of course, we’d later echo the praise of their courage from political leaders.

If, however, a blaze in a hospital was ignored, allowed to spread, and ultimately destroyed the facility, the public backlash would be overwhelming. How the hell, we’d want to know, could this have been allowed to happen?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And, after that, we’d be demanding the head of the health secretary.

A report last week from the Royal College of Nursing detailed a year of chaos in the Scottish NHS. Picture: Jeff Moore/PA WireA report last week from the Royal College of Nursing detailed a year of chaos in the Scottish NHS. Picture: Jeff Moore/PA Wire
A report last week from the Royal College of Nursing detailed a year of chaos in the Scottish NHS. Picture: Jeff Moore/PA Wire

Fortunately, there have been no major fires in Scottish hospitals in recent years. There is, however, an ongoing crisis in the NHS that means the service is no longer fit for purpose.

We might not be able to see this unfolding disaster as we would a devastating fire but it is very real and its consequences will be felt for a long time.

Last week, in common with most weeks, First Minister John Swinney came under pressure over the SNP’s stewardship of the NHS since his party came to power at Holyrood in 2007.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Questioned by opposition politicians over a new report from the Royal College of Nursing which details a year of chaos in the Scottish NHS, the First Minister appeared deeply uncomfortable.

Across England there were 9,131 people in hospital with Covid as of October 26.Across England there were 9,131 people in hospital with Covid as of October 26.
Across England there were 9,131 people in hospital with Covid as of October 26.

The RCN found that patients as old as 101 had been treated in corridors rather than in wards because of hospital overcrowding and the organisation warned that this risked becoming “normalised” unless the problem of overcrowding was addressed.

The First Minister made a rather pathetic attempt to blame rising winter flu cases for the situation but his heart wasn’t in it.

And, after questions on the issue from Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay and Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar, Swinney quickly backed down.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The first thing I want to do,” he said, “is apologise to any individual who has had an unsatisfactory experience in the care they have received.”

The FM went on – of course – to pile praise on NHS staff for the “unremitting commitment” they give to ensure the service delivers the best it can in the face of “unprecedented demand”.

We’ve had years of this nonsense, now. Years during which political leaders – both at Holyrood and Westminster – have promised only their parties can be trusted to maintain the NHS. Years of worthless manifesto pledges of reform that never comes. Years of party leaders using the miserable experiences of doctors, nurses and patients to score political points.

But, despite all this, nothing has changed. The NHS remains understaffed and in desperate need of reform.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And this is not solely the view of gobby newspaper columnists and opportunistic political leaders. Rather, it is difficult to keep track of the number of senior medical figures who have intervened to warn the NHS needs emergency treatment.

The RCN report follows warnings from the British Medical Association and others that the health service will not survive without major investment.

Each time an expert speaks out about the parlous state of the NHS, he or she can expect the support of opposition leaders and earnest pledges of renewed effort from government ministers.

And then things get even worse. We’ve seen this play out for long enough to know this to be true.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This is all entirely the fault of politicians, of course. We voters are never to blame for anything.

But it is we voters who allow this miserable situation to endure.

When the NHS was established in 1948, the world was very different. Crucially, life expectancy was considerably lower than it is today. Yet investment in the national health service has not kept pace with medical progress. People may be living longer, but there is no guarantee they will receive the care they need – to the standard they should be able to expect – in their dotage.

We know all of this to be true and yet we continue to vote for politicians who promise to fix the NHS and then only succeed in making things worse.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Both Russell Findlay and Anas Sarwar made hay at First Minister’s Question Time. Their attacks on the Scottish Government’s record were both accurate and justified.

But I’m afraid I have no more faith in either Labour or the Conservatives than I do in the SNP when it comes to sorting out the NHS.

No party – whether in government or opposition – is willing to talk about the cost of fixing the health service. Instead, each election campaign (and, gosh, haven’t there been a lot of those recently?) sees every leader promising solutions without details.

Politicians do this because they know we don’t want to get into the messy details. They know that we don’t want to hear about tax rises or the use of private medical care.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This being so, it’s difficult to see how the problems undermining the NHS can be addressed.

Politicians and voters, alike, are unwilling to talk about the need for serious investment in the NHS and so we need an alternative.

A Royal Commission into the future of the heath service would open up a discussion that’s long overdue. Let’s hear from experts who know what the NHS needs rather than continuing to listen to politicians who promise then fail to deliver.

The National Health Service is, quite rightly, considered one of the greatest achievements of any democratic government. It transformed lives.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But while political leaders continue to heap praise on the service and its staff, they are guilty of neglecting it.

Unless we – politicians and voters, alike – accept that we’re all going to have to pay more for a service that works, the NHS will wither and die.

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.

Dare to be Honest
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice