Looks critical for our NHS

10:41am Friday 19th September 2008

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I have read Dr John Marks’ autobiography The NHS: Beginning, Middle and End? following the recent review in the Borehamwood & Elstree Times.

It is a good read that I would recommend and is available in the Borehamwood library.

Dr Marks and his wife Dr Nathan served our community very well as JPs, and had our much-loved NHS very much at heart, and therefore the fears that John Marks expresses in his autobiography regarding its future, should be a wake-up call to us all to act before it is too late.

With this in mind and referring to another recent article in your paper, (‘Help shape the NHS’, August 29) I would like to share with your readers my input as a Hertsmere constituent to the consultation draft proposals from the health minister Alan Johnson.

As a lifelong contributor to our much-loved national asset, which is the envy of the world, I feel strongly that the draft proposals will endanger our NHS and its ability to provide medical care when needed, irrespective of the ability to pay.

I think privatisation under the so-called PPIs and PPPs should be scrapped as they will be very costly on a never-ending basis, and shareholders should not milk the health of our nation.

I am strongly against the introduction of polyclinics as they would introduce “supermarket healthcare” which would be the end of family and community GP practices.

I also think that the large drug companies should be taken into ownership of the NHS, as patients are being ripped off by their enormous profits (eg cancer patients being denied drugs due to cost).

This would eradicate the need for the drug-authorising body NICE to refuse these drugs due to cost.

Finally, I advised Mr Johnson that ten years ago the first Blair Government was elected on a promise that the NHS was safe in their hands and the current proposals are a breach of that promise.

I urge readers to have their say on the draft proposals at westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/nhs constitution/default.asp, and responses can be sent by email to nhsconstitution@dh.gsi.gov.uk and must be in by Friday, October 17.

Tony Donaghey, Stangate Crescent, Borehamwood