Patients losing faith in the NHS, claims survey
Growing concern among the public about falling standards in the NHS is revealed in another new health survey notes Health Direct.
Despite the huge amounts invested in the health service by the Government in recent years, fears over its future continue to grow among patients. The survey's findings show high levels of concern across the entire health service.
Nearly half of those questioned by the Patients Association said they wanted to see further cuts in waiting times for treatment, an urgent reduction in infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile (C. diff) and an increase in the number of doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff.
Leading Patient Association trustee Ann Alexander, a solicitor who specialises in health cases, said: "We have to make sure that the health service has adequate numbers of healthcare professionals capable of providing treatment within a reasonable amount of time in a safe environment.
"We don't want people put off by the fear of catching serious infections in hospital to the extent they feel they have to go abroad for treatment."
The survey comes as new figures reveal that last year about 70,000 Britons spent more than £315 million paying for treatment in overseas hospitals and clinics to escape long NHS waiting lists and high rates of infection.
The amount is expected to grow substantially over the coming years. The numbers of patients seeking treatment abroad is forecast to rise to almost 200,000 by the end of the decade, as revealed last week by Health Direct last week ; Record numbers go abroad for health treatments
That could mean as much as £886 million being spent by Britons on foreign treatment.
Keith Pollard, of the information website Treatment Abroad, who carried out the study, said: "Despite huge investment in the NHS over the past 17 years, patients from the UK are voting with their feet and travelling abroad."
A fifth of those questioned by the Patients Association identified a reduction in waiting times as their main priority. Fifteen per cent said cuts in hospital infections would make the greatest difference to them and 14 per cent wanted to see more staff on duty.
The findings follow the publication of official figures which show the labour Government is failing to meet its target for reducing the spread of hospital infections.
Cases of C. diff increased by seven per cent in hospital patients over the age of 65. Cases of MRSA fell by 10 per cent from a high of 7,096, but this was not enough to meet the Government's pledge to halve the rate by next year.
However, despite grave concerns over the NHS, the Patients Association survey found a clear majority rejects any move towards creating an insurance-based health care system on US or French lines.
More than 40 per cent support the current method of funding the NHS through national taxation. Twenty four per cent of those who took part, however, back a tax deductible insurance policy as a way of paying for treatment.
The survey, shows an overwhelming majority want an end to Britain's healthcare "postcode lottery" where availability of drugs and treatments depends on location.
The Patients Association is still collecting responses to its survey at www.patientsassociation.org.uk.
From:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/04/nhs104.xml
Despite the huge amounts invested in the health service by the Government in recent years, fears over its future continue to grow among patients. The survey's findings show high levels of concern across the entire health service.
Nearly half of those questioned by the Patients Association said they wanted to see further cuts in waiting times for treatment, an urgent reduction in infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile (C. diff) and an increase in the number of doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff.
Leading Patient Association trustee Ann Alexander, a solicitor who specialises in health cases, said: "We have to make sure that the health service has adequate numbers of healthcare professionals capable of providing treatment within a reasonable amount of time in a safe environment.
"We don't want people put off by the fear of catching serious infections in hospital to the extent they feel they have to go abroad for treatment."
The survey comes as new figures reveal that last year about 70,000 Britons spent more than £315 million paying for treatment in overseas hospitals and clinics to escape long NHS waiting lists and high rates of infection.
The amount is expected to grow substantially over the coming years. The numbers of patients seeking treatment abroad is forecast to rise to almost 200,000 by the end of the decade, as revealed last week by Health Direct last week ; Record numbers go abroad for health treatments
That could mean as much as £886 million being spent by Britons on foreign treatment.
Keith Pollard, of the information website Treatment Abroad, who carried out the study, said: "Despite huge investment in the NHS over the past 17 years, patients from the UK are voting with their feet and travelling abroad."
A fifth of those questioned by the Patients Association identified a reduction in waiting times as their main priority. Fifteen per cent said cuts in hospital infections would make the greatest difference to them and 14 per cent wanted to see more staff on duty.
The findings follow the publication of official figures which show the labour Government is failing to meet its target for reducing the spread of hospital infections.
Cases of C. diff increased by seven per cent in hospital patients over the age of 65. Cases of MRSA fell by 10 per cent from a high of 7,096, but this was not enough to meet the Government's pledge to halve the rate by next year.
However, despite grave concerns over the NHS, the Patients Association survey found a clear majority rejects any move towards creating an insurance-based health care system on US or French lines.
More than 40 per cent support the current method of funding the NHS through national taxation. Twenty four per cent of those who took part, however, back a tax deductible insurance policy as a way of paying for treatment.
The survey, shows an overwhelming majority want an end to Britain's healthcare "postcode lottery" where availability of drugs and treatments depends on location.
The Patients Association is still collecting responses to its survey at www.patientsassociation.org.uk.
From:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/04/nhs104.xml
Labels: C difficile, NHS deaths, NHS fiasco, postcode lottery, superbugs
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