The future of Britain’s National Health Service has been the subject of continued debate within British politics and the media for an extensive period. The saga between Jeremy Hunt and Britain’s junior doctors resulted in Hunt enforcing a new employment contract upon them even though the junior doctors rejected the offer at the ballot box. Whatever your views on the row, it is hard not to admit that the relationship between the 68-year-old NHS and the government is troubled at this moment in time.
There have also been heated discussions regarding the privatisation of the NHS; former Labour leadership contender, Owen Smith accused the government of having “a secret plan to privatise the NHS”, and highlighted the fact that NHS spending had doubled to £8.75bn since the Conservatives came into office. This then led more recently to the bizarre spectacle of the Labour government criticising their own previous policies, which actually resulted in a significant amount of privatisation within the NHS.
The move to privatise the in-house agency staff provider, which allows the private sector to bid for a majority stake in NHS professionals, has once again opened a debate over the distinct possibility that Britain’s approach to healthcare is not sustainable. While most the recent debate has centred around immigration and the strain it places on public services, an issue that is often neglected is the fact that Britain has an ever-increasing, ageing population of those aged over 55. This demographic is expected to increase by 37% to over 27 million by 2031, representing an incredibly significant proportion of the overall population of the UK.
A sizeable number of those aged 55+ are opting to live a healthier lifestyle and get regular exercise following on from a greater awareness of the particular and distinct health benefits it provides this demographic. I must admit that the joys of cycling on the Sussex Downs have even captivated myself, which has subsequently led to me to taking greater care of my health and diet. I must confess that I was somewhat reluctant myself at first, but my enthusiasm was somewhat roused by my wife’s persistent encouragement and her incredibly generous gift of a pair of cycle jeans as an early Christmas gift.
However, there have been reports that have suggested that just under half of those aged over the age of 55 do little or no exercise. It is inevitable that a sedentary lifestyle will aid and encourage the onset of health complications in both the near and distant future. It should be of little surprise that these over 55s require the most access to medical treatment. The significant numbers of those who live a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to pose a financial cost to the health provider over the next 10-15 years, however, the increase in those opting to live a healthier life will assist in increasing the demographic even further and placing a strain on the health service at a later date.
The decision of large numbers of people who are deciding to take greater care of themselves should be applauded; it does, however, pose the question as to whether or not the increases in living standards over the previous three decades has exposed the fact that the NHS requires major reform or a pledge by the government to heavily invest in order to save the institution from collapsing. This is exemplified by the recent case presented by the NHS Chief, Simon Stevens in which he argued that an urgent cash injection was required to fend off an impending crisis in the care of the elderly.
Essentially, it remains to be seen as to what extent the NHS will be privatised due to the fact that the level of spending may well prove to be a perilous quest for the government to undertake, especially with the on-going economic uncertainty surrounding Britain’s future relationship with the European Union. While the aim should be to ensure that the NHS remains as much a public service as possible, the over-riding concern should be the immediate care of those who require it and ensuring a high level of service. It remains to be seen whether or not the government will risk the wrath of the public who overwhelming believe that the NHS should not face further privatisation. However, they may well have little choice if the recent trend shows no time of ceasing anytime soon.
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