WCP: A Working-Class Appreciation for the National Health Service

Posted in Visiting Scholars  |  Tagged Great Britain, Health Care, hospitals, John Russo, National Health System, NHS, nurses, Privatization, public services, Sarah Attfield, Sherry Linkon, WCP, Working-Class Perspectives

The National Health Service (NHS) in Great Britain provides universal access to all levels of health care with no payment required at point of service. As Sarah Attflied describes in this week’s Working-Class Perspective, all NHS patients are treated equally regardless of their financial means. This progressive health care system now faces attacks from conservatives who seek to capitalize on a crisis they contributed to by underfunding the system in order to privatize it and cut social services for poor and working-class people.

“The true marvel of the NHS are the people who work in the system. Advances in medical science and technology are wonderful, but the most sophisticated treatments need people to administer them and to look after patients on a daily basis. As illustrated by a recent BBC documentary, Hospital, every person who works on the frontline with patients is essential, regardless of what they do. My mother has deep admiration for the doctors and surgeons, but her warmest praise is for the nursing and auxiliary staff who look after her. During her most recent lengthy stay she observed how the nurses managed complicated treatment schedules in wards where there one nurse might be responsible for 8 patients. Nursing assistants took blood pressure readings and monitored patients’ stats, but they also changed bedding and helped patients to wash and to use the toilet. They sat with patients who were lonely or distressed and helped patients locate their glasses or slippers. Housekeeping staff kept the wards spotless and made sure patients had fresh water and good food. The staff displayed genuine care for the patients, and despite being short staffed and overworked, they maintained their professionalism and went about their work with good humour, helping to lift the spirits of patients battling illness and injury.

For my mother, the staff at the busy hospital are heroes, and it saddens her to think of the NHS, the great institution beloved by so many working-class people, struggling under the current government’s policies. She wouldn’t be alive without the NHS, which has remained a constant despite the hardships she’s faced during her life. She knows she can rely on the service, but she never takes it for granted. She thanks the NHS and hopes that those well enough to fight for its continued existence on her behalf will continue to do so until its future is secured.”

Read the entire blog post and check out other Working-Class Perspectives on our website.