nhs privatization essay example
nhs privatization essay example
NHS ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
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Introduction
The NHS has always been a free medical service available to all since 1948. More than 63.2 million people have benefited from it with thousands working as NHS employees. The central principle was that healthcare services will be available to all and purely financed from taxation (Pollock, 2014, p. 1). Lately, there have been some calls from researchers and policy experts to privatize the NHS. nhs privatization essay example. However, Powell and Miller (2016) argue that successive leadership has worked to ensure that the NHS is free from privatization (99). Those against argue that such would lead to detrimental effects of overall health in addition to jobs cuts. However, those calling for privatization of the NHS argue that such would amount to the provision of quality healthcare services, reduce the country’s fiscal burden, and boost patient healthcare choice (Wallace and Taylor-Gooby, 2010, p. 208). Based on PESTLE framework, this essay offers deeper insight on the Economic and Social aspects in favor of those for and against privatization.
Economic aspects
Under PESTLE analysis, letter E stands for the Economic aspects. Economic aspects such as inflation are determinants of given economy’s performances that have long term effects. On grounds of economics and matters to do with finances, individuals against privatization of the NHS argue that by so doing, private firms will only be picking easiest cases to treat since they are cheap and profitable to them at the expense of the larger populations (Zahradnik and Levine, 2017, p. 334). Additionally, privatization of NHS contracts mean that a lot of private firms win such tenders and money meant for NHS trusts get diverted to private sectors not forgetting millions of budgetary allocations that the government is forced to pump in new treatment centres aimed at meet a growing demand of patients (Johnstone, 2006, p. 1). nhs privatization essay example.
However, there are those who argue that privatization of the NHS is economically viable. Scholars such as Haldenby (2016, p.2) argue that NHS services spend a lot of finances on independent sector providers such as dentists and pharmacists. Haldenby (2016) further argues that privatization of the NHS would result in fewer costs as private firms will be able to provide a wide range of products SUCH AS CT scanners, medicines, beds and radiotherapy machines among others to the NHS at a reduced cost (2).
Closely related to the above previously undertaken research studies have demonstrated that private healthcare provider firms that have tried forming close partnerships with a number of NHS have noticed reduced cases of overall spending based on the fact that such partnerships come up with creative means of limiting or improving how they spend resources (Wallace and Taylor-Gooby, 2010, p. 210). According to Haldenby (2016), the need to privatize the NHS should not be ignored due to the important role of such an exercise, that of saving the government millions in terms of spending (2).
Social aspects
Going back to PESTLE analysis, letter S stands for social factors that include aspects such as health consciousness, emphasis on safety, and age distribution among others (). In other words, these are the social factors that should be taken into consideration so as not to infringe on the social aspects of individuals. In this context, individuals arguing against privatization assert that apart from ensuring that the rich would only get access to quality healthcare thereby shutting the majority who are poor out, such would also amount to some sense of inequalities, especially based on socio-economic deprivation and age (Johnstone, 2016, p. 1). nhs privatization essay example.
Closely related to the above, privatization of NHS would amount to worse treatment of the old, the poor and the sick with long-term patients likely to be discriminated against with a lot of private firms likely to pick easier to treat patients (Zahradnik and Levine, 2017, p. 338). Zahradnik and Levine, (2017) further assert that those patients in some of the most disadvantaged locations are highly likely to be discriminated with a new privatization deal in place as private firms prefer having their centres located in places that can be easily accessible, locking out individuals located in disadvantaged locations (340).
A lot of countries across the globe have lately privatized their healthcare system. However, some countries’ healthcare systems are still nationalized while some are part-privatized (HSPM, n.d, p. 1). On social grounds therefore, those for privatization of the NHS argue that such a move would amount to reduced mortality rates, increased provision of quality healthcare, and increased involvement of patients in individual decisions on matters to do with their own treatment (Powell and Miller, 2013, P. 1051). nhs privatization essay example. Simply put, privatization of the NHS is more likely to result in some form of competition. With the need to stay relevant, healthcare provider firms will be compelled to offer quality services that will benefit patient’s welfare (Powell and Miller, 2013, p. 1053).
Conclusion
Arguments revolving around the need to privatize the NHS or leave it the way it is seem to be a never ending debate. Each side of the divide has their own varying opinions with each of them supporting their side. However, on economic and social grounds, narratives supporting the need to either privatize or leave the NHS as it is have been proposed. On economic grounds, those in support argue that privatization of NHS is a way of making private healthcare providers benefit. This argument is countered by those who argue that such a move is cost effective as it saves economies a lot of money. On social aspects, those in support argue that privatization of NHS excludes the poor who cannot afford high medical costs while those for it argue that such a move gives room for the provision of quality services. nhs privatization essay example.
Bibliography
Haldenby, A. (2016). Delivering the 2015 spending review objective of successful NHS partnerships with the private sector. Reform. Available at: http://www.reform.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Delivering-the-2015-Spending-Review-objective-of-successful-NHS-partnerships-with-the-private-sector.pdf (Accessed 30th July 2017).
HSPM (n.d) European Observatory: The Health Systems and Policy Monitor. Available at: http://www.hspm.org/searchandcompare.aspx(Accessed 30th July 2017).
Johnstone, I. (2016). ‘Creeping privatisation of healthcare is damaging the NHS, study finds’. Independent, 28th July. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/nhs-health-service-healthcare-privatisation-a7160771.html(Accessed 30th July 2017). nhs privatization essay example
Pollock, A. (2014). Privatisation of the NHS. Available at: http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Privatisation-of-the-NHS-%7C Allys;search%3APollock (Accessed 30th July 2017).
Powell, M, & Miller, R 2013, ‘Privatizing the English National Health Service: An Irregular Verb?’, Journal Of Health Politics, Policy & Law, 38, 5, pp. 1051-1059.
Powell, M, & Miller, R 2016, ‘Seventy Years of Privatizing the British National Health Service?’, Social Policy & Administration, 50, 1, pp. 99-118.
Wallace, A, & Taylor-Gooby, P 2010, ‘New labour and reform of the English NHS: user views and attitudes’, Health Expectations, 13, 2, pp. 208-217.
Zahradnik, A, & Levine, H 2017, ‘Privatization of County Nursing Homes: What is the debate really about?’, Public Administration Quarterly, 41, 2, pp. 334-359. nhs privatization essay example.
In favour (Privatisation) on funding
Gov added £10bn to help the NHS with deficit. (BMA, 2017)
Privitasation will generate capital that will help the NHS to cope with the demand(Davis et al,. 2014)
In favour quality
Competition will drive innovation and this means better quality.( BBC News, 2014) (Cathy Corrie from Think Tank)
There are two chanllenges: one demand because the population is increasing and two is the quality challenge.(BBC News, 2014) (Cathy Corrie from Think Tank)
Primary care has the longest waiting list. The private sector will reduce waiting list and give patients choice (BBC News, 2014) (Cathy Corrie from Think Tank)
Privatisation will give patients more choice to be treated (The medic portal, 2017)
Privatisation will reduce waiting list. (The medic portal, 2017)
Against Privatisation on Funding
The amount of NHS funding going to private sectors has increades by 20% from 2012 to 2016 (BMA, 2017
There was a refuction from 10% to 8% on primary funding and that is why the waiting list is longer in primary care (BBC News,2014
Against on social aspect
Privatisation will benevit mainly those who have money. (The medic portal, 2017)
If insurance is compulsory only rich people will be able to afford it. (The medic portal, 2017)
Those with chronic illnesses will be largely disadvantaged. (The medic portal, 2017) nhs privatization essay example
For structure and More Resources kindly find the other attached document
The Beveridge report was implemented in 1948 in the United Kingdom to establish a National Health Service and the National Insurance system in order to guard the health of all citizens, particularly those who have socio-economic needs (Greener, 2009). Since then, provision of health care has been totally free and essentially funded from taxation. In the 1970s, approximately $60 was spent per person on healthcare, but the amount has increased exponentially in the last few decades (Cohen, 2008). It would be expected that the government increase in expenditure on healthcare would also increase efficiency and use of resources, but this expenditure has not been justified because there is no equivalent reduction in the demands on the healthcare systems (Cohen, 2008). Therefore, the healthcare needs of the public cannot be adequately met because of lack of resources that maximize on quality delivery, thus creating the need for choices to be made that will effectively manage the available resources (Powell, 2008). nhs privatization essay example. This paper aims to argue the economic and social merits of privatization of the NHS and discuss why it is advantageous.
The economy plays a major part in healthcare, any healthcare services provided must have the financial resources necessary in order for them to be effective. However, Privatization could lead to a monopoly in the healthcare sector that could be detrimental to the economy. This is because the private NHS system might remain the sole provider of healthcare systems and become the most dominant in the sector. The costs of service delivery could increase while the services deteriorate. Patients could be overcharged and over-treated (The Weekly, 2017). Most private providers care more about their profits than their patients, and they will use this chance to make even more profits regardless of their patients’ wellbeing. They might exploit the public’s inability to make wise choices when choosing a provider. In addition, many individuals could lose out on receiving quality healthcare because they are unable to afford the higher costs from the private sector. On the other hand, this privatization could increase efficiency in the delivery and management of services, thus improving the quality of healthcare for many patients countrywide (Haldenby, 2016). Additionally, the available resources could be managed better and result in less congestion in public provider facilities. The advantages of privatization far outweigh the disadvantages because the main goal of a good healthcare system is to provide excellent services while utilizing the available resources effectively (Naguleswaran et al., 2015). Privatization could make more affluent to visit the private providers more because they expect better service delivery from them, giving the less affluent a chance to get faster services due to less congestion in public facilities. As a result, the public and the stakeholders could benefit from a more efficient service delivery system. The government could also have a reduced burden in provision of care to it citizens. nhs privatization essay example.
All citizens expect to receive efficient quality social services from their government facilities. However, if these needs are not met, then the citizens have the right and the opportunity to look for better services from elsewhere. Some individuals believe that privatization could lead to worse treatment of the poor, old and sick people (Johnstone, 2016). This is because the providers might scramble to increase prices to cater for wealthy patients while making it more difficult for the poor to afford these services. The public might be unable to hold the private healthcare providers accountable for their actions and services as the NHS would no longer be under public domain and scrutiny. The principle of free health service delivery could also be eroded and result in the lower-class public becoming unable to meet their health demands. Disintegration of services will also become a major issue as the standards of healthcare vary due to the large number of providers available. Conversely, privatization of the NHS should reduce the political interference often experienced in the public sector as it tries to balance political ambition and the needs of the people. Many government policies are usually made for the short term until the next election. This means that most of these policies are not sustainable in the long run. Privatization could remove the politicking from the health sector and create effective long term policies. nhs privatization essay example. A private NHS would be guided by business ethics and profits, thus all decisions made could be for the betterment of the sector towards increasing profits. Patients and the NHS could also experience shorter waiting lists as the bulk of the people opt for faster services provided by the private providers (The Week, 2017). Very few people would put off seeking medical care because of costs, because they know that they must be healthy in order to earn a living, and health is a very important factor in economic and social development. Government-run organizations rarely have an incentive to work hard as they do not share profits with the stakeholders, but private ones work hard in order to make profits and increase revenues (Kahungu, 2016). Therefore, privatization could help to decrease the waste of resources currently being experienced in the public sector.
In conclusion, privatization of the NHS could thus be more beneficial to the public in the long run, as service delivery would be improved while the resources and services are managed more efficiently. Although the private provides might concentrate on making profits, they would ensure that their services are of excellent quality in order to get patients who will pay for those quality services. The main beneficiaries of the privatization will be the patients could now have a wider choice of providers to visit for their medical needs and shorter waiting lists at public facilities. The government will also have less chance of using healthcare as a bargaining tool in its election campaigns, leading to false promises and under-delivery of services. In order to institute the model of privatization, a contract-out model could be used where the provider can be the NHS organization itself, or another profit-making organization (Benson, 2016). This is similar to how local authorities provide services, and the patient will get treated by the organization that the local commissioning body chooses for them. Another option would be for the patient to choose whichever organization he or she wants to be treated by, as long as the commissioning agent is willing to pay the organization’s fee. Many General Practitioners, opticians and pharmacists already use this model, as it encourages competition and increases the standards of healthcare delivery. These options will ensure that patients receive the best quality care while the providers also make a profit from this business. nhs privatization essay example.
Portfolio Section 1: Argumentative essay explained
What am I writing about?
This task requires you to write a 900 word argumentative essay on the topic below:
The NHS should be privatised. Discuss.
Following the PESTLE Framework, focus on the Economic and Social aspects to develop your arguments in favour of and against this topic.
What is the structure of an argumentative essay?
Introduction (150 words) [use evidence/research throughout]
What is your question about?
(give the background to your topic)
Include some detail on the topic
(narrow your focus; what exactly are you focusing on? Who are the key ideas/ people involved/
organisations etc.?)
What is your opinion of this topic?
(this is your thesis statement)
How are you going to structure your arguments?
(this is the overview of your main arguments) nhs privatization essay example
Body paragraph 1 – Economic (300 words) [use evidence/research throughout]
Say why this is a key issue.
What is the counter-argument of this issue?
(this is the opinion you do not agree with)
What is the main argument of this issue?
(this is your opinion)
Why is your argument stronger than the counter-argument?
What evidence/examples do you have to support this?
What can you conclude from this? What are the implications?
Body paragraph 2 – Social (300 words) [use evidence/research throughout]
Say why this is a key issue.
What is the counter-argument of this issue?
(this is the opinion you do not agree with)
What is the main argument of this issue?
(this is your opinion)
Why is your argument stronger than the counter-argument?
What evidence/examples do you have to support this?
What can you conclude from this? What are the implications?
Conclusion (150 words) [refer back to key evidence/research]
Give a summary of your key points from your body paragraphs.
Include a summary of your key conclusions from your body paragraphs.
(this is the justification of your opinion)
What would you recommend needs to happen now?
Reference list (word count is not applicable)
Include a full reference for all the sources you have cited in your text.
How do I find information?
Below is a suggested reading list to help you get started. You should choose some sources from the list but you are also encouraged to find 2 sources from your own research. You are required to include at least 4 sources in total.
Useful general websites to explore:
Davis, K., Stemikis, K., Squires, D. & Schoen, C. (2014) Mirror, mirror on the wall: how the performance of the U.S. health care system compares internationally. Available at: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/files/publications/fund-report/2014/jun/1755_davis_mirror_mirror_2014.pdf (Accessed 22nd September 2016).
An important study which is widely referred to by other sources. Includes important economic and social data.
NHS (2016) NHS England: Health and high quality care for all,
now and for future generations. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ (Accessed 22nd September 2016).
The publications and statistics tabs have links to some useful and interesting information.
Nuffield Trust (2016) Nuffield Trust: Evidence for better health care. Available at: http://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/ (Accessed 22nd September 2016).
This is a huge site with a lot of up to date research on the NHS. Look at the Data and Charts tab for lots of useful economic data.
Resources that argue against privatisation
Johnstone, I. (2016). ‘Creeping privatisation of healthcare is damaging the NHS, study finds’. Independent,28th July. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/nhs-health-service-healthcare-privatisation-a7160771.html (Accessed 22nd September 2016).
Pollock, A. (2014). Privatisation of the NHS. Available at: http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Privatisation-of-the-NHS-%7C-Allys;search%3APollock (Accessed 22nd September 2016).
Resource that argues for part privatisation of the NHS
Haldenby, A. (2016). Delivering the 2015 spending review objective of successful NHS partnerships with the private sector. Reform. Available at: http://www.reform.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Delivering-the-2015-Spending-Review-objective-of-successful-NHS-partnerships-with-the-private-sector.pdf (Accessed 23rd September 2016).
A Resource that looks at and compares different health care systems (nationalised, part-privatised and privatised)
HSPM (n.d) European Observatory: The Health Systems and Policy Monitor. Available at: http://www.hspm.org/searchandcompare.aspx (Accessed 23rd September 2016).
Glossary
Portfolio
It is a collection of student work that shows evidence of learning and progress in one or more areas. This collection “represents a personal investment on behalf of the student that is evident through the student’s participation in the selection of the contents….and self-reflection” (Gisselle and Martin-Kniep, 2000). nhs privatization essay example.
Learning outcome
Learning outcomes are goals that describe how a student will be different because of a learning experience (Suskie, 2009).
Discuss
Investigate or examine by argument; debate; give reason for and against; examine the implications of the topic.
End of Assignment Brief
Marking Criteria
Learning Outcomes for English for Academic Purposes 2
1. Produce elements of a cohesive & coherent researched essay.
2. Listen to an academic lecture whilst taking coherent notes.
3. Read, compare & summarise a number of written academic texts.
Excellent evidence
Very good evidence
Good evidence
Some evidence
Insufficient evidence
Little/No Evidence
86 – 100%/First
70+/First
60+/2:1
50+/2:2
40+/Third
30+/Fail
Pass by compensation possible
16 – 29%/Fail
0 – 15%/Fail
Knowledge and understanding (50%) nhs privatization essay example
A. Have you worked through the tasks in this portfolio?
(LO 1, 2, 3)
Includes all required factual content, accurately summarised.
Includes relevant factual content only.
Includes all required factual content, accurately summarised.
Includes relevant factual content only.
Includes most required factual content, mostly accurately summarised.
Includes relevant factual content only.
Includes most required factual content, but with some gaps or misunderstandings.
Includes some irrelevant factual content.
Includes limited factual content, with many gaps or inaccuracies.
Includes significant irrelevant factual content.
Includes insufficient required factual content, with significant gaps or inaccuracies.
Includes substantial irrelevant factual content.
Includes almost no required factual content, and with very significant inaccuracies.
Includes mainly irrelevant factual content.
Does not include required factual content.
Includes entirely irrelevant factual content.
B. Have you paraphrased/
summarized ideas effectively?
(LO 1, 2, 3)
Very accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level.
Excellent understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level.
Accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level.
Very good understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level.
Mainly accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level.
Good understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level.
Some identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level.
nhs privatization essay example
Adequate understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level.
Limited identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level.
Limited understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level.
Very limited or inaccurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level.
Very limited understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level.
No identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to
