An Analysis of NHS Funding Crisis: Charging for Services Essay

This essay delves into the financial difficulties plaguing the National Health Service (NHS) in England. It examines the rising costs of services, technological advancements, and increasing demand, which are contributing to significant financial pressures. The essay explores the argument that charging for certain NHS services, such as GP appointments, dental care, and prescriptions, could alleviate the financial crisis. It presents arguments in favor of this approach, citing potential benefits like improved financial management and patient behavior. However, it also considers counter-arguments, such as the potential impact on patient behavior and the overall effectiveness of such measures. The essay provides examples and rebuttals to support its claims, ultimately concluding that charging for some services could be a viable solution for the NHS to overcome its financial challenges and maintain the quality of its healthcare services. The essay references several books and journals to support its claims.

ACADEMIC RESEARCH

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Paragraph 1......................................................................................................................................1
Argument....................................................................................................................................1
Contra Argument.........................................................................................................................1
Rebuttal.......................................................................................................................................1
Example......................................................................................................................................2
Paragraph 2......................................................................................................................................2
Argument....................................................................................................................................2
Contra Argument.........................................................................................................................2
Rebuttal.......................................................................................................................................2
Example......................................................................................................................................3
Paragraph 3......................................................................................................................................3
Argument....................................................................................................................................3
Contra Argument.........................................................................................................................3
Rebuttal.......................................................................................................................................3
Example......................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
The essay will be made on the topic “The NHS could solve its problems by charging for
itself”. There are multiple issues and challenges faced by National Health Service of England
regarding maintaining funds and budgets. 2016/17 is already set to be a very challenging year for
the NHS, with service leaders facing huge financial pressures and performance against key
targets deteriorating. In accordance with this context, this essay will address the issues faced by
the organisation and by charging for some services, National Health Service can able to solve its
problem.
Paragraph 1
Argument
Charging for some services will help the management of NHS to recover from financial
crisis and losses. In the current financial crisis, the rising cost of services, energy and supplies
innovations and technological breakthrough requires ample amount of investment in order to
provide effective treatment and care to the healthcare seekers. Thus, in order to eliminate the
rising fear of financial crisis, the management of National Health Services (NHS) of England can
charge for some of its services to control the budget adequately and appropriately. The experts
and financial advisors of National Health Services contends that as the demand rises the cost will
rise too and National Health Services will become unsustainable with huge financial pressures
and debts (Appleby, Thompson and Jabbal, 2014).
Contra Argument
If the charges are not charged by the management than NHS may face huge debt of £30 billion.
Further, in order to implement high technological facilities in the organisation, the management
requires huge investment cost. The current conservative government has pledged an extra £8
billion in funding by 2020. In order to provide excellent services and minimising the issues of
fund allocation the management of National Health Service aims to charge for its services like
GPs (General Practitioners), dental services, National Health Service prescriptions, NHS Eye
tests, etc.
Rebuttal
These charges will assist the management of NHS to improve the quality of services and
facilities. Further, this will help them to cope up with the financial crisis effectively and
adequately. From the analysis of articles it was identified that due to lack of public funding for
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health and social care services, huge financial crisis faced by National Health Service of
England.
Example
For example, charges can be made on services like like GPs (General Practitioners), dental
services, National Health Service prescriptions, NHS Eye tests, etc.
Paragraph 2
Argument
Charging for services will impact on the patient behaviour. Patients will prefer private
hospitals instead of NHS. Patient who were not able to afford expensive treatments of private
hospitals, so they prefer NHS. If they get to know that they have to pay for their services like
Gps, etc. It will impact on their behaviour. The research, funded by the Nuffield Trust, concludes
that “serious thought” must be given to NHS spending which must include reconsidering which
services should be free and increases in taxation to finance the service. The spending of National
Health Service on several activities reached to 137.5 billion pound in 2010-2011 across United
Kingdom (McLean, Mercer and Watt, 2015). Further, the rise of new health information systems
and technologies influencing the management of the organisation to implement the health
information system and technological change in the organisation. This requires heavy cost and
investment which can be fulfilled by charging for some of its services (Black, 2013). This will
lead the organisation towards growth and development.
Contra Argument
Economists across United Kingdom contends that deduction in taxation will not able to bring
change in the condition and financial challenge faced by the management of National Health
Service (Campbell, 2015). The rate will not be able to cope up with the demographic pressure.
The demand for services and healthcare seekers has been rising rapidly which results in heavy
loss faced by the National Health Service. The only way to cope up with the loss faced by the
management is to charging for some of its services.
Rebuttal
Four out of ten healthcare seekers paid for prescriptions fees around 8.20 pound. The dental care
is converted into private in order to reduce some of the issues regarding funding. General
Practitioners fees has been increase to 10 pounds. Though the rates are small and few but are
able to provide effective support to the management of National Health Service.
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Example
The charges can lie between 5-10 pound for appointment of Gps, but should not be exceeded.
Paragraph 3
Argument
From the analysis of the case of NHS, it can be understood that in order to recover and
rehabilitate from the degrading economy, the management must charge for some its services.
This will help them to improve the current technology and boosting up the motivation of
healthcare professionals employed in the organisation. After the Brexit vote, and United
Kingdom leaves European Union the challenges and financial crisis increases rapidly in National
Health Service.
Contra Argument
The funding issues faced by the management influences the healthcare professionals and
practitioners negatively and they were unable to provide effective quality of the healthcare
services to the patients (England, N.H.S., 2016). Thus, from the current session, the patients and
healthcare seekers needs to pay for some of the services such as dental treatments, National
Health Service eye tests, travel cost, wigs, etc. These charges will help the management of
National Health Services to cope up with the financial crisis and will assist them to initiate new
and effective health information technology in the organisation. It is the responsibility of the
Department of Health of United Kingdom to focus on the challenges and funding issues faced
by National Health Service, the leading healthcare provider across the country (Dunn, McKenna
and Murray, 2016). Various charges must be implemented by the management by considering
the needs and expectations of the patients and healthcare seekers.
Rebuttal
This will enable the management of National Health Service to cope up with the challenges and
financial crisis effectively and efficiently. The healthcare professionals knows the conditions of
National Health Service more than anyone else. There views are precious and important in
deciding how to cope up with the challenges the organisation faces. Thus, by slashing cuts in
spending and implementing charges on some of the services, the management of National Health
Service will able to cope up with the financial crisis and challenges effectively.
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Example
There are various other areas where the management of NHS must consider in order to increase
their effectiveness by spending less. Further, government of United Kingdom must address the
issues and problems faced by the National Health Service and introduce tax dedication policies
for the organisation. It will help the NHS to tackle the financial and funding issues adequately.
CONCLUSION
Thus, from the essay, it can be understood that by charging some services provided by
the National Health Service, the management can cope up with financial crises and issues faced
by the organisation. In this context, the various issues related with the financial crises has been
discussed in this essay. It is recommended to the management of National Health Services to
implement charges on services like dental, prescriptions, Gps, etc. in order to eliminate financial
issues.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Appleby, J., Thompson, J. and Jabbal, J., 2014. How is the NHS performing. Quarterly
monitoring report.
Black, N., 2013. Can England's NHS survive?. New England Journal of Medicine, 369(1), pp.1-
3.
Dunn, P., McKenna, H. and Murray, R., 2016. Deficits in the NHS 2016. The King‘s Fund,
London.
England, N.H.S., 2016. NHS ENGLAND. Evidence review: pasireotide for acromegaly as third-
line treatment (adults). Dostęp: https://www. engage. england. nhs.
uk/consultation/clinical-commissioningwave4/user_uploads/a03x11-pasiretd-evidnc-rep.
Pdf (28.12. 2016).
McLean, G., Mercer, S.W. and Watt, G.C., 2015. General practice funding underpins the
persistence of the inverse care law: cross-sectional study in Scotland. Br J Gen
Pract, 65(641), pp.e799-e805.
Online
Campbell, D., 2015. Basic NHS services could be charged for after general election, BMA chief
says. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/03/basic-nhs-services-could-be-
charged-for-after-general-election-bma-chief-says>
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