Is a Nationalised Health System Effective on a Planetary Scale?

The National Health Service has become the target of political attacks in the US in an attempt to defeat Barack Obama's proposals for broader government involvement in healthcare. Is a Nationalized Health System effective for Our Future Planet? Republicans and bloggers are criticizing the UKs National Health System for its long waiting lists and for limiting the availability of expensive and life saving treatments. Furthermore, American television advertises the alleged failures of the NHS healthcare and US critics have accused the NHS of placing a financial limit on human life dependent on age thereby allowing elderly people to die untreated. Despite the critics Obama clearly sees the benefits of the NHS in the UK and is proposing a Health Reform bill to help the 50 million uninsured people in America.

The NHS was established 61-years ago as a means of saving the lives of and helping poor people with health problems and disease – people who without such help would have died. The NHS was born out of a long-held ideal that good healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth. Health secretary, Aneurin Bevan opened Park Hospital in Manchester in July 1948 symbolizing the beginning of the NHS to bring healthcare to all. Hospitals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians and dentists were brought together under one umbrella organization that was free for all at the point of delivery. The central principles are clear: the health service was available to all and financed entirely from taxation, which means that people pay into it according to their means.

The NHS has had many achievements over the years. While working with larger numbers of patients in the NHS scientists were able to learn more about diseases and their prevention. In the 1940s, British scientist Richard Doll begins research into lung cancer after incidences of the disease rise alarmingly.  He established a clear link between smoking and lung cancer. Not only does the NHS treat disease but it also promotes good health and disease prevention. In 1958 the NHS launched a programme to vaccinate everyone under the age of 15 against polio and diphtheria. Before this programme, cases of polio could reach 8,000 in epidemic years, with cases of diphtheria as high as 70,000, leading to 5,000 deaths. This programme led to an immediate and dramatic reduction in the case of both diseases.In 1986 the government launched the biggest public health campaign in history to educate people about the threat of Aids as a result of HIV. Following a number of high-profile deaths, the advertising campaign sets out to shock – with images of tombstones and icebergs, followed early in 1987 by a household leaflet, “Don’t die of ignorance”. This was very much in keeping with the NHS’s original concept that it should improve health and prevent disease, rather than just offer treatment.

NHS Direct was launched in 1998 to enable patients to receive health advice 24 hours a day. This service will go on to become one of the largest single e-health services in the world, handling more than half a million calls each month. It is the start of a growing range of convenient alternatives to traditional GP services – including the launch of NHS walk-in centres in 2000, which offer patients treatment and advice for a range of injuries and illnesses round-the-clock, 365 days a year.

What about healthcare in other countries? In the US all healthcare is currently private. So, if your son or daughter is wind surfing and their leg is torn off by a shark and they are bleeding to death on a beach they will only receive life saving treatment if you have health insurance. If not, you will have to mortgage your house, sell your car and use your savings to pay for the treatment. Illness is equally costly and many Americans are left destitute as a result of needing hospital treatment and having been too poor to pay for health insurance.In Africa, Asia and India rural inhabitants rely on the work of a few volunteer doctors setting up village hospitals to treat the sick and poorly and administer vaccinations for cholera and other waterborne diseases which are rife and kill millions of people each year. Malaria is widespread but again there is no money to pay for adequate precautions such as anti-malarial medicines and mosquito nets as there is no National Health Service.  In many communities the lucky ones are those people who have been given a mosquito net for their family. There is one net and a family of six – who should have the net – the child with malaria?  The pregnant mother? - The healthy children? Should any family have to make such drastic decisions?

If malaria returned to the UK everyone would be able to obtain a mosquito net for protection, the NHS would consider this essential to limit the disease. In fact we are extremely lucky to have the NHS. Instead of being critical we should be immensely grateful for this service. Think about it how many times you have been to the doctors or to hospital, and if not you, a friend, or family member? It can cost £100 just to see a doctor privately, £500 for a Bupa check up and £10, 000s for surgery. Would you be able to pay these fees? The NHS is the only fair way that everyone can receive treatment regardless of wealth and yes, maybe you have to wait to be seen but eventually you will be whereas the dying child in Africa is not so lucky.

So, on a global scale nationalizing healthcare systems would bring widespread and profound benefits to hundreds of millions of people who are too poor to pay for insurance or healthcare. If the money to pay for this comes from means tested taxes everyone can benefit. The rich benefit by helping those less fortunate than themselves and the poor benefit from receiving treatment which may save their lives which they would otherwise be unable to receive. Another role of a nationalized health system is to enable people to be vaccinated and to encourage a healthy life style to prevent disease. What are your thoughts? Add your comment below. Have your say. We welcome your thoughts and proposals. Not a Planetary Citizen? Sign up      

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