INTRODUCTION
The NHS, an acronym for the National Health Service is one of the publicly funded National health systems in the United Kingdom which serves England specifically. It is one of the largest healthcare systems in the world1 and what follows are economic and social deliberations for and against its privatisation. It currently thrives on government funding and management.
ECONOMIC (for)
1. Consistency in funding of health services as privatisation drives profit, making health service available if users can bear the costs.
2. Less demands placed on public funds.
3. Due to profit incentive that comes with privatisation, more efficient service would be provided and costs reduced.
4. Reduction in government borrowing.
5. Reduction in taxes.
ECONOMIC (against)
1. Rise in cost of healthcare provision.
2. Increased out of pocket payments.
3. Although the private sector may be able to cut costs, there could still be a cost of reduced quality of service at the expense of spending less money.
SOCIAL(for)
1. Consumers tend to get what they pay for: there is reduced waste due to indiscriminate use of health services by the public as they get more directly responsible for any health service they use.
2. Responsibility in provision of service: In a private system there is more responsibility on the part of the service provider(privatised NHS in this case) because there are less people to cater for, perhaps due to rising costs and they also able to deliver as long as consumers are able to pay for what they want.
3. Freedom of patients to make beneficial and preferred choices: a public NHS makes a ‘one size fits all’ kind of service delivery in order to achieve a more effective cost management and also manage with heavy population demographics. But privatisation gives consumers the freedom to get specific services tailored for them as long they are willing to bear costs.
SOCIAL(against)
1. It increases inequality: everyone, regardless of their social class is entitled to good quality of health. Privatisation tends to polarise equal distribution of quality health care
2. Market-driven healthcare: better healthcare service would tend to be targeted at good markets, better cities and people that can afford it.
3. Erosion of NHS founding principles: the NHS system has served finance for healthcare in England for decades and has stood on foundational working principles which has aided service delivery thus far. The system has its flaws no doubt, but privatisation would result in an overhaul which would make the NHS system loose its some of its essence.
4. Less transparency: A privatised system is only open to those at the top tiers of the system who are judge and jury as against what is found in a public operated system. The executives, legislature and judiciary can look into the system and serve as checks and balances.
5. Prioritisation of profit: health care service delivery solely based on profit always raises ethical concerns. Prioritisation of profit in healthcare also removes the essence of humanitarian and selfless service in doctor-patient relationships.
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