Privatization of NHS: Analysis and Implications

The assignment discusses the possibility of privatizing the NHS, citing various sources that argue for and against the idea. It also explores the infrastructure improvements that could be made to support the maintenance and restoration of faith in the healthcare institution. The essay presents a balanced view, considering both sides of the argument, and concludes with a summary of the key points and implications.

A18
English for Academic Purposes 2 (EAPB3017)
Name:
Student Number:
Tutor name:
This is your English for Academic Purposes 2 e-portfolio which you must submit on Thursday 26th April 2018 by
2pm via the Student Portal. This should be completed throughout the course and you must make sure you
save your work regularly (e.g. on your computer, on a USB stick, on email or on the Cloud drive). Please refer
to suggested word counts for each task included within this portfolio.
Assessed Learning Outcomes:
1. Produce elements of a cohesive and coherent researched essay
2. Listen to an academic lecture whilst taking coherent notes
3. Read, compare and summarise a number of written academic texts.
1

Wee
k Table of Contents Pag
e
Learning
Outcome
Completed
?
(
)
Portfolio Tasks
(These tasks should be developed throughout the term but completed by
Thursday 26th April 2018 by 2pm)
1 Where are you now? 2 LO 1, 2 & 3 ☐
1 Personal Development Plan
[suggested word count: 100 - 150] 3 LO 1, 2 & 3 ☐
2 – 9 Organising your ideas
[suggested word count: varies per task] 4 LO 1 & 3 ☐
6 Making notes with confidence
(200 words) 6 LO 2 ☐
3 – 8 Developing your arguments
[suggested word count: varies per task] 8 LO 1, 2 & 3 ☐
6 – 9 Writing your argumentative essay
(900 words) 10 LO 1 & 3 ☐
10 Getting a First! 11 LO 1 & 3 ☐
Total word limit:
Final task: Argumentative essay (900 words) (+/- 10%)
Track your progress by ticking off each task as you complete it, in the final column
2

PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 1: Where are you now?
Below is a list of the skills you will need when working on extended pieces of writing during your university
career. Using the list from EAP 1, put a cross (X) in the same boxes for each skill in the first column, and tick
() the appropriate box for each skill in the second column, according to how well you think you can do this
now.
You should refer to the checklist throughout the course and decide whether you have made any progress with
these skills.
Skill This is new for
me
I need to
develop this
skill
I can improve
this skill
I can do this
well
Looking for information
Identify which book / journals/ websites
to use ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Select relevant parts of a text ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Using sources
Acknowledge sources of information ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write a reference list correctly ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Avoid plagiarism ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Planning/Writing
Brainstorm ideas ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Plan written work ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Link ideas effectively ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Paraphrase & summarise ideas ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write an introduction ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write a conclusion ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Personal Study
Work independently ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Manage my time ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Oral Presentation
Brainstorm ideas with peers ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Discuss written work in a tutorial ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
IT
Access the internet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Use search engines ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Create word documents ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Use PowerPoint ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 1: Personal Development Plan (PDP): Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Realistic – Timescale [SMART]
You are required to develop a Personal Development Plan (PDP), which includes goals for the development of your academic skills after the completion of the
module. This should include skills we cover on this module. To help you, write down the strengths and weaknesses you listed in EAP 1 in the box below, which can
also be from your feedback. Use complete sentences.
Strengths
Quick learning skills
Great learning skills
Good time management skills
High team spirit
Weaknesses
Dominating at times
Attempts at being a perfectionist
Occasional obsession with work
Ill-organised nature
Now think about what you would like to improve. Be specific when describing your goals and how you will achieve and measure them. (100 – 150 words)
Target Goal Action Success Criteria Completed by?
e.g. To have clear paragraphs To produce an outline before writing The reader can identify the topic/ideas of
those paragraphs
February 2018
1 Attentive to the differing viewpoints Enlisting the strengths Better understanding of the ideas that are
shared by the other members
February 2018
2 Organising presentations and reports Maintenance of the undertaken as well as
completed tasks
Organising the activities February 2018
3 Ability to endure criticism Understanding the capability limits thus not
craving for the perfection
Realizing the natural succession of
perfection
February 2018
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 3: Organising your ideas: Are my sources reliable?
Look at the table below. Using the sources you have found (not from GSM Learn or the reading list), answer
the questions below to determine if they are reliable. Make notes.
Source 1 Source 2
Who wrote/said it? Metro News The Guardian
Are they qualified to speak on this
topic?
Yes Yes
Do they have a personal interest in
that issue?
No No
What type of source is it? Newspaper Article Magazine Article
Has it been verified in any way? Can it
be proved?
Yes Yes
Is there evidence to support this
claim?
Yes Yes
Was the source created to persuade,
sell, entertain, inform or for another
purpose?
The article intends to put forth
the debate that has been
going on regarding the
privatisation of the NHS.
The article tends to put forth the
views of the citizens of the
country on the privatisation of the
NHS
Is the content relevant to your
research?
Yes Yes
When was it published/last updated? June 14, 2017 October 2, 2015
Does this impact its relevance or
objectivity?
No No
Give the full references of both your sources here in Harvard Style:
To format the text, highlight the word(s) or line of text you want to change and select the required formatting
option (colour change, bold, italics etc.).
Groome, I. 2018. What would happen during privatisation of the NHS? | Metro News. [online] Metro.co.uk.
Available at: http://metro.co.uk/2017/06/14/what-would-happen-if-we-lost-the-nhs-6708024/ [Accessed 24
Mar. 2018].
El-Gingihy, Y. 2018. The NHS is on a one-way road to privatisation. [online] The Guardian. Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2015/oct/02/nhs-one-way-road-privatisation [Accessed
24 Mar. 2018].
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 4-9: Organising your ideas: Noting down the main points
In the space below, create an outline for your essay by making notes about any information you find from class
or reading list sources and from the two sources you found. Use bullet points and not full sentences. Include
in-text citations where necessary. You should add to this throughout the course. (150 – 200 words)
Essay Question:
Should the NHS be privatised?
Arguments in Favour (Yes) Arguments against (No)
Economic
 Boosting the funding at the NHS
 Improvement of the needed
healthcare instruments.
 Reduction in the burden of the
taxpayers
 Reduction in the burden of the
government
 Ensuring greater authority to the
common people through the
ownership of the private
healthcare services
 Ensuring proper care of the by
introducing healthcare services
based on the healthcare.
 Increased burden on the budget
 Expensive healthcare that cannot be
afforded by many.
 Addition to the expenditure through
the insurance of the same.
 Increment in the healthcare costs
due to the privatisation of the NHS,
one of the cheapest healthcare
services in the country as well as the
various industrialized countries of the
world.
Social
 Improvement in the treatment of
the chronic diseases and the
communication with the patients.
 Increase in the number of the
easily accessible hospitals.
 Limitations in the political
interferences
 Continuous funding by the private
organisations
 Encouragement of the youth in
healthcare contribution.
 Privatisation of the NHS acts as a
confirmation to the notion of
objectifying the healthcare services.
 Neglection of the ethical issues and
the prioritisation of the economic
issues.
 The discarding of the notion of
equality of the residents of the
country.
 Concentration on the profits earned
rather than the services that are
rendered.
PORTFOLIO TASK
Developing your arguments: Paraphrasing/Summarising
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Choose one aspect (e.g. Economic or Social) and summarise and/or paraphrase the main points you noted in
the outline on page 5. Use complete sentences and include in-text citations where necessary. (150 - 200
words).
Arguments in favour (Yes):
The advocates of the privatisation of the NHS argue that the increase in the power of the private
firms associated with the healthcare industry might help in the improvement of the communication
that exists among the patients. The advocates further argue that the privatisation would help in the
improvement of the techniques of the treatment of various chronic diseases through the
implementation of the advanced technologies. The privatization of the healthcare services tends to
help in the increment of the transparency in the services by limiting the political interferences in the
concerned sectors. They further imply that the privatisation of the NHS might lead to the increased
efficiency in the disposal of the services that would be free of corruption. The healthcare
organisations of the country have been facing immense pressure in the matters that pertain to the
improvement of the efficiency and the performance of the same. This pressure has often led to the
privatisation of the concerned organisations. The researches further point out the fact that the
privatisation has proved to be beneficial in many such instances.
Arguments against (No):
The non-supporters of the privatisation, however argue that the privatisation of the organisation
would lead to the increase in the costs of the and the lowering of the health services that are offered.
The privatisation of the NHS would turn it into a commodity thereby robbing it of its original
identity as a healthcare service. The privatisation of the organisation might also lead to the
inequality among the seekers of the service on the basis of their financial position in the society. The
increase in the costs of the treatment would lead to the conditions where the poorer sections of the
society might not be able to avail the services. This might also lead to the inferior quality of the
treatment that is meted out to the poor and the aged section of the country.
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 5: Developing your arguments: Combining sources
Using the summaries you wrote in the previous task, combine them below to create the first body paragraph
of your essay. Use the guide below to help you and highlight each part with the same colour. (250 – 300
words)
Body paragraph 1
Say why this is a key issue (e.g. Economic/Social)
(this is your topic sentence)
What is the counter-argument of this issue?
(this is the opinion you do not agree with)
What is the main argument if this issue?
(this is your opinion)
Why is your argument stronger than the counter-argument?
What evidence/examples do you have to support this?
What can you conclude from this? What are the implications?
You should use at least 2 sources in this paragraph.
A PESTEL analysis of the NHS might help in the correct analysis of the social and the economic
factors that are involved in the privatisation of the NHS. The analysis of the social factors for the
privatisation of the NHS helps in the comprehension of the flaws and the benefits that are
associated with the privatisation of the NHS.
The advocates of the privatisation of the NHS argue that the increase in the power of the private
firms associated with the healthcare industry might help in the improvement of the communication
that exists among the patients. The advocates further argue that the privatisation would help in the
improvement of the techniques of the treatment of various chronic diseases through the
implementation of the advanced technologies. Klein (2013) argue that the privatization of the
healthcare services tends to help in the increment of the transparency in the services by limiting the
7

political interferences in the concerned sectors. They further imply that the privatisation of the NHS
might lead to the increased efficiency in the disposal of the services that would be free of corruption.
Powell and Miller (2016) further argue that the healthcare organisations of the country have been
facing immense pressure in the matters that pertain to the improvement of the efficiency and the
performance of the same. This pressure has often led to the privatisation of the concerned
organisations. The researches further point out the fact that the privatisation has proved to be
beneficial in many such instances.
The non-supporters of the privatisation, however argue that the privatisation of the organisation
would lead to the increase in the costs of the and the lowering of the health services that are offered.
The privatisation of the NHS would turn it into a commodity thereby robbing it of its original
identity as a healthcare service. The privatisation of the organisation might also lead to the
inequality among the seekers of the service on the basis of their financial position in the society. The
increase in the costs of the treatment would lead to the conditions where the poorer sections of the
society might not be able to avail the services. This might also lead to the inferior quality of the
treatment that is meted out to the poor and the aged section of the country.
The privatisation of the service might also affect the ranking of the country in terms of the various
healthcare services that is extended towards the residents of the country. Thus, it might be said that
the privatisation of the NHS would lead to the lowering of the standards of the services that are
extended to the residents of the country. However, the shared partnership among the private and the
public sectors might lead to the partial privatisation of the NHS which is recommended in the
current situation of the country.
Klein, R., 2013. The twenty-year war over England's national health service: a report from the
battlefield. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 38(4), pp.849-869.
Powell, M. and Miller, R., 2016. Seventy years of privatizing the British national health service?. Social Policy
& Administration, 50(1), pp.99-118.
8

PORTFOLIO TASK
Making notes with confidence
This is an in-class activity. Please upload a photo of your notes here.
9

10

Write a summary about what you have just listened to. (No more than 100 words)
According to the opinion shared by Christopher Smallwood, the healthcare activities could continue to be
funded by the government but the concerned government might introduce the fact that the portion of the
medical costs that are borne by the government would vary in accordance to the cost of the treatment that
has to be undertaken in the concerned case. The model further states that the state would bear the
responsibility for the treatment of the catastrophic events while the minor treatments would require a
certain part of the contribution from the individuals. This scheme that is generally based on the French style
would lead to the lowering of the premium amount that the concerned person needs to bear for the
insurance scheme that he or she might have invested in.
Write a response to the opinions given. (No more than 100 words).
However, on the contrary, David Wrigley opines that the NHS should maintain its ideal of serving all the
people of the country irrespective of their financial status. The NHS of the United Kingdom is one of the
most envied healthcare systems of the world as it is funded totally by the government. Most of the funding
of the NHS is borne by the general taxation that has been levied on the citizens of the country. The experts
argue that the implementation of the top-up insurance plans might lead to the conditions wherein the
people residing below the poverty line might not be able to access the healthcare facility for the health
problems whose treatment might cost them some great amounts. The experts further argue that the NHS
authorities should spend amounts for the front-line staff at the healthcare centre rather than appointing
management consultants for the NHS.
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 7-9: Writing your argumentative essay
Using the same process you did for the first body paragraph, complete your essay below.
(900 words: +/- 10%)
The NHS should be privatised. Discuss
One of the major debateable topics for the various residents of the country as well as the
politicians of the country is the privatisation of the National Health Services of the United Kingdom
that is commonly known as the NHS, UK. There are many arguments that support the privatization
of the NHS while there also exists the various other that present opinions against the issue. The
NHS was founded in the year 1948 and has ever since been an organisation that was owned by the
state that helped in providing the various health services to the residents and the common people
of the country without charging them for the services that they provide. The advancement of the
technology has led the various members of the society to believe in the fact that the privatisation
of the concern might be beneficial to the masses.
However, the privatisation of NHS should be stalled as the act would rob the commoners of their
basic rights of leading a healthy life without having to worry about the economic factors that are
involved in the maintenance of the same.
A PESTEL analysis of the NHS might help in the correct analysis of the social and the economic
factors that are involved in the privatisation of the NHS. The analysis of the social factors for the
privatisation of the NHS helps in the comprehension of the flaws and the benefits that are
associated with the privatisation of the NHS.
The advocates of the privatisation of the NHS argue that the increase in the power of the private
firms associated with the healthcare industry might help in the improvement of the communication
that exists among the patients. The advocates further argue that the privatisation would help in the
improvement of the techniques of the treatment of various chronic diseases through the
implementation of the advanced technologies. Klein (2013) argue that the privatization of the
12

healthcare services tends to help in the increment of the transparency in the services by limiting the
political interferences in the concerned sectors. They further imply that the privatisation of the NHS
might lead to the increased efficiency in the disposal of the services that would be free of corruption.
Powell and Miller (2016) further argue that the healthcare organisations of the country have been
facing immense pressure in the matters that pertain to the improvement of the efficiency and the
performance of the same. This pressure has often led to the privatisation of the concerned
organisations. The researches further point out the fact that the privatisation has proved to be
beneficial in many such instances.
The non-supporters of the privatisation, however argue that the privatisation of the organisation
would lead to the increase in the costs of the and the lowering of the health services that are offered.
The privatisation of the NHS would turn it into a commodity thereby robbing it of its original
identity as a healthcare service. The privatisation of the organisation might also lead to the
inequality among the seekers of the service on the basis of their financial position in the society (El-
Gingihy 2018). The increase in the costs of the treatment would lead to the conditions where the
poorer sections of the society might not be able to avail the services (Groome 2018). This might also
lead to the inferior quality of the treatment that is meted out to the poor and the aged section of the
country.
The privatisation of the service might also affect the ranking of the country in terms of the various
healthcare services that is extended towards the residents of the country. Thus, it might be said that
the privatisation of the NHS would lead to the lowering of the standards of the services that are
extended to the residents of the country (Iacobucci 2014). However, the shared partnership among
the private and the public sectors might lead to the partial privatisation of the NHS which is
recommended in the current situation of the country.
The economical analysis of the situations faced by the NHS is also necessary in order to conclude
the feasibility of the proposed privatisation of the organisation.
13

According to the studies, the privatisation of the NHS might help the government get some relief on
the economic front. This might help the government to focus on the various other important issues in
the country (Powell and Miller 2013). The privatisation of the NHS might help in the addressal of
the unemployment issues in the country. The privatisation of the healthcare systems would,
according to the various experts lead to the competition in the healthcare sector of the country,
thereby enhancing the performance of the healthcare industry of the country.
However, Reynolds (2013) contradict that the privatisation of the NHS would affect the financially
backward segments of the country in an adverse manner. The privatisation would result in the hike
of the medical charges that have to be borne by the common people of the country. The
commonwealth report of 2014 asserts the fact that the NHS is the cheapest healthcare service
provider of the country thus proving the fact that the privatisation of the lead the commoners to feel
the pressure of affording the medical costs (O'dowd 2014). The privatisation of the NHS would rob
the citizens of their only choice of a good yet cheap healthcare service. Thus, the privatisation of the
NHS is not advisable for the current situation of the country.
Thus, from the above discussion it might be concluded that the privatisation of the NHS might not
lead to the expected results of the privatisation advocates. The economic and the social analysis of
the situation might be helpful in proving the afore-stated statement. On a concluding note it might be
recommendable that the NHS be allowed to continue its function in the way that it has been doing
since inception. The state might lay stress on the improvement of the infrastructure thereby helping
the maintenance and the restoration of the faith of people in the healthcare institution.
Reference List
El-Gingihy, Y. 2018. The NHS is on a one-way road to privatisation. [online] The Guardian. Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2015/oct/02/nhs-one-way-road-privatisation [Accessed
24 Mar. 2018].
Groome, I. 2018. What would happen during privatisation of the NHS? | Metro News. [online] Metro.co.uk.
Available at: http://metro.co.uk/2017/06/14/what-would-happen-if-we-lost-the-nhs-6708024/ [Accessed
24 Mar. 2018].
Iacobucci, G., 2014. GP payment system and support services are to be privatised. BMJ: British Medical
Journal (Online), 349.
14

Klein, R., 2013. The twenty-year war over England's national health service: a report from the
battlefield. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 38(4), pp.849-869.
O'dowd, A., 2014. NHS should be exempt from EU-US free trade treaty, campaigners say. BMJ: British
Medical Journal (Online), 348.
Powell, M. and Miller, R., 2013. Privatizing the english national health service: an irregular verb?. Journal of
health politics, policy and law, 38(5), pp.1051-1059.
Powell, M. and Miller, R., 2016. Seventy years of privatizing the British national health service?. Social Policy
& Administration, 50(1), pp.99-118.
Reynolds, L., 2013. The future of the NHS--irreversible privatisation? Interview by Jill Mountford. BMJ
(Clinical research ed), 346, p.f1848.
PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 10: Getting a First!
Tick ( ) the appropriate column to check that your essay has included the✓
necessary parts to help it get as high a grade as possible!
Good evidence Some
evidence
Insufficient
evidence
Knowledge and understanding
Have you worked through the tasks in this portfolio? ☐ ☐ ☐
Have you paraphrased/summarised ideas effectively? ☐ ☐ ☐
Do your portfolio tasks show understanding of the essay
writing process? ☐ ☐ ☐
Have you researched and supported your ideas with evidence
and examples? ☐ ☐ ☐
Cognitive/Intellectual Skills
Does your essay include an introduction and conclusion? ☐ ☐ ☐
Do your body paragraphs contain a counter-argument,
argument & evidence/examples, using appropriate linking
words?
☐ ☐ ☐
Have you used at least 4 sources (2 of them can be from
class or reading list) & combined your sources effectively? ☐ ☐ ☐
Have you made your opinions clear? ☐ ☐ ☐
Graduate: Transferable Employability & Practical Skills
Are you within the word count? ☐ ☐ ☐
15

Have you checked for spelling, grammar and punctuation
mistakes? ☐ ☐ ☐
Have you used appropriate academic style and appropriate
vocabulary? ☐ ☐ ☐
Have you included in-text citations and a reference list that
follow Harvard Style? ☐ ☐ ☐
Do you show good awareness of your strengths and
weaknesses (skills audit and PDP target)? ☐ ☐ ☐
16