Page 26 - TheWord#16

NHS Editor UNity MarcH
26 February 2017. POLITICS AND EVENTS www.thewordmedia.org.uk

By Melissa Darcey place, at the right time” - which services is dismantling the NHS we pointment for, in some areas, 4-6 vertising “Push Doctor” saying it
would make you think these re- know and love. weeks - people with disposable in- was wonderful that they paid £5 to
ccountable Care” - Is this configurations are a good positive With fewer acute life saving come are ALREADY experimenting speak to a doctor on the telephone
England’s version of the move forward.... and important services available with private healthcare. - when did this kind of healthcare
American model “Me- locally, people are expected to trav- Private virtual GP’s are spring- become acceptable in England??
“Adi-Care”? The Truth el journeys of over an hour or more ing up all over the place with “Push
Cutting hospital beds, shutting whilst in emergencies such as giv- Doctor” and “Babylon Health” be- NHS England has split the
The NHS is currently undergo- down A&E’s, maternity units, GP ing birth, experiencing a heart at- ing two of them: National Health Service into 44
ing some concerning reconfigura- surgeries, community pharmacies tack or stroke and GP surgeries are It was horrifying to see some- “footprints” called - Sustainability
tion. In the news we are hearing of and centralising acute life saving unable to give you a face to face ap- one posting on social media ad- and Transformation Plans (STP’s).
A&E closures and downgrades, GP These “plans” are set to make £22
surgery closures, community phar- billion cuts to the NHS in order
macy closures, more focus on “care to reduce “deficits” and make the
closer to home”, centralisation on NHS safe and sustainable for the
important life saving services such future of our health as we are an
as emergency care, maternity, ne- “aging population with complex
onatal, stroke, vascular and heart needs”.
services - the list goes on... All 44 STP’s include the creation
This is being “sold” to us, the of either an ACO (Accountable Care
public, as making the NHS safe and Organisation), an ICO (Integrated
sustainable and encourages people Care Organisation), Vanguards or a
to seek preventative care closer to MCP (Multispecialty Community
home rather than leaving it until you Provider):
are “really poorly” needing more The idea is to bring together all
“specialised extensive treatment”. of the trust boards, health servic-
We hear phrases such as “re- es, clinical commissioning group’s
ceiving the right care, in the right (CCG’s) and local authorities (Coun-