The Spectator

Letters: How to reform the NHS

issue 15 July 2023

How to reform the NHS

Sir: During the pandemic I and millions of others went out every week and clapped for the NHS (‘National health disservice’, 8 July). But if you’ve experienced it lately, it’s a dystopian nightmare. Appointments regularly cancelled, paperwork missing, 1950s administration. It appears the only thing being managed at the NHS is its decline. A working group of trusted business leaders should consider ‘best practice’ at excellent private and public hospitals in the UK and across Europe, and implement reform of the service immediately. The Tories don’t have the bottle or anyone with the talent to get this under way. All the reform talk is coming from Labour, and at the election this will cost the Tories dear.

Joe Hanson

Preston, Lancashire

Health wealth

Sir: Kate Andrews explains that the NHS performs very well in international comparisons of health spending as a percentage of GDP. But this doesn’t allow for the size of GDP, nor how many people there are sharing the health spend between them.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in