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Scotland already benefits from a NHS distinctly different from the NHS in England. Once we become independent, we will have to face up to the responsibilities to our people and to our ageing population. Are Scotland’s existing health and social care systems really the best we could manage? Systems in Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Northern Ireland are worth a friendly look.
Having worked at organisational and management level in the Scottish Health Service for 17 years, I know better than to propose yet another reorganisation or complex transition to a health and social care Utopia that is more likely to crush the existing systems than to improve them.
Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands have decentralized health services that are mainly government-funded through taxes levied by county councils and municipalities.
Sweden regularly comes close to the top of worldwide healthcare rankings. In a comparison of 16 countries by Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, Finland used the least resources and attained average results, making Finland the most efficient public sector health service producer according to the study's authors.
The Health and Social Care Board, established on 1 April 2009, seeks to develop integrated health and social care services across Northern Ireland.
Lowest cost with good outcomes? Best outcomes at lowest cost? Sustainability of stable cost?
Number of people satisfied with their hospital care system in the EU? Percentage of respondents satisfied compared with the EU average? What is the best model to aim for?
Reimbursement of patients’ travel costs to and from the clinic or hospital? Primary health care provided by district health centres employing general practitioners and nurses providing day-to-day medical services? Access to computerised patient data? A patient’s injury law giving the right to compensation for unforeseeable medical or surgical injury avoiding the development of a litigious blame culture and defensive medical practices?
The catalogue sets out many attractive options.
Long before independence we need to start thinking.
Having worked at organisational and management level in the Scottish Health Service for 17 years, I know better than to propose yet another reorganisation or complex transition to a health and social care Utopia that is more likely to crush the existing systems than to improve them.
Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands have decentralized health services that are mainly government-funded through taxes levied by county councils and municipalities.
Sweden regularly comes close to the top of worldwide healthcare rankings. In a comparison of 16 countries by Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, Finland used the least resources and attained average results, making Finland the most efficient public sector health service producer according to the study's authors.
The Health and Social Care Board, established on 1 April 2009, seeks to develop integrated health and social care services across Northern Ireland.
Lowest cost with good outcomes? Best outcomes at lowest cost? Sustainability of stable cost?
Number of people satisfied with their hospital care system in the EU? Percentage of respondents satisfied compared with the EU average? What is the best model to aim for?
Reimbursement of patients’ travel costs to and from the clinic or hospital? Primary health care provided by district health centres employing general practitioners and nurses providing day-to-day medical services? Access to computerised patient data? A patient’s injury law giving the right to compensation for unforeseeable medical or surgical injury avoiding the development of a litigious blame culture and defensive medical practices?
The catalogue sets out many attractive options.
Long before independence we need to start thinking.