We have above average rates of smoking and alcohol consumption and among the highest rates for obesity

Withering discusses the current state of the NHS ...

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently published a review of healthcare in developed countries. On health spending, standards of care and the provision of services, the UK is decidedly below average. On spending, there has been “zero growth” per person in real terms between 2009 and 2013, despite the protestations of ministers to the contrary.

To match the OECD average, the UK would need an additional 26,500 doctors and 47,700 nurses. We are well below average for the provision of CT and MRI scanners and we have lower survival rates for cervical and breast cancer and higher rates of hospital admission for respiratory disease and stroke. Public health does not come out well, either. We have above average rates of smoking and alcohol consumption and among the highest rates for obesity.

The Nuffield Trust has commented that, in healthcare, “you get what you pay for”. The OECD findings reflect the UK’s lower than average investment in healthcare. As Bill Clinton once said: “It’s the economy, stupid.” Or, in this case, the failure to put enough money into health. In the first three months of this financial year, NHS trusts in England racked up a financial deficit of £930 million, more than double for the same period last year. Eight out of 10 trusts are in the red. Last year, the eventual deficit of over £800 million was rectified by a one-off cash injection from the Treasury.

So what happens now? Will this government fund the NHS properly – as it promised at the election – or will the decline continue? Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt famously blamed lack of consultant cover for higher mortality rates at weekends.

But shouldn’t the finger of blame really be pointed at the government’s refusal to invest properly in healthcare? What do you think?

Withering is a pen name of a practising independent community pharmacist. Withering’s views are not necessarily those of ICP.