The NHS …Warts and all .. Is still great

I have been away from the National Health Service (NHS) for almost 4 years after a long career of over 35 years working inside it.

The NHS is the third largest employer in the world after the Chinese Army and the Indian Railways.

The NHS celebrated its 60th birthday in July 2008 having been created as part of the radical, reforming Labour Government of post Second World War Britain in 1948. The NHS was a fundamental part of the new Welfare State.

The founder of the NHS was the eloquent Welsh MP Aneurin Bevan. Among Mr Bevan's many wonderful quotes was this one that I love most;

‘No longer will wealth be an advantage nor poverty a disadvantage. Healthcare will be provided free of charge based on clinical need and not on ability to pay.’

Call me old fashioned if you like but this statement from the great man underpins why our NHS is still the envy of many parts of the world.

What we forget sometimes in Britain is that our health service is a UNIVERSAL service provided to all citizens based on clinical need.

It has been good for me to be away from the NHS for almost 4 years because I have been able to see the service from ‘outside’ and I admit I have sometimes been critical of what I see.

However in recent discussions on Tom Peters Blog I’ve been delighted to see so many people praising the NHS. Dare I suggest there have even been some envious glances from our friends across the pond that we have a well established and (generally) well-loved universal healthcare system?

I will continue to criticise the NHS where it fails patients and their families but let me be clear about something.

Until I see hard evidence that a privately funded healthcare system provides at least as good a service to the WHOLE population of Britain as the NHS currently provides I will continue to promote the NHS as the right way to organise the healthcare for the ENTIRE population.

It is simply not good enough to make shallow unproven throw-away woolly statements like ‘the market must decide.’

One key criterion of how a country should be judged is surely how it treats it most vulnerable and most ill citizens. In Britain I feel we can and should be very proud that successive governments since 1948 have not seen fit to move away from universal healthcare provided through the tax funded NHS and I for one hope we never do.

Important Stuff!!

Sincere apologies for lack of Simplicity Blog postings this week. Must do better!!

I’ve been back, working again in the National Health Service (NHS) to help out with some urgent work that has to be done in a local NHS organisation. It felt quite strange really to ‘go back to work’ in an office setting for 4 days this week after almost 4 years working from home. It gave me an opportunity to reflect about how the two scenarios differ. More of that in future postings.

Today is Annie’s birthday and we’ve had a great day together – I am a lucky man.

My life has changed dramatically in the last 4 years.

• Leaving the NHS after 35 years
• Setting up my own business
• Moving home three times
• Marrying the most wonderful woman in the world
• Becoming a Grandad to Sebastian and Reece

I have made many friends from all over the world through Blogging and this has been terrific. I have learned about how lucky I am when I think about the challenges faced in their families by my good friends Dick Field and Dave Wheeler.

What I have learned most in the last 4 years is that if you are supported by the person closest to you then all challenges become easier to face.

So …. On your birthday my darling Annie….Thank you. You will never know how much you have done for me … I love you more than Walkers Crisps xxx

Learning about how 'stuff' gets done .....

Well … amazingly enough (to me) I did it. I actually went a whole week without checking my inbox.

That’s not quite true. On my mobile phone I can access gmail and so I was able to read the odd email that was sent to my gmail address but I was disciplined and didn’t reply to any. I never checked my hotmail inbox … and even more surprisingly (to me) I never even glanced at Simplicity Blog.

I’m grateful to my friends David Wike, Dave Wheeler, Richard Lipscombe, John O’Leary, Joel Canfield, and Mark Foscoe. Looks like you guys had an interesting exchange whilst I was away and I hope David Wike fulfilled his promise of buying all the drinks!

Annie and I got home earlier this (Saturday) evening from sunny (not) Harrogate in Yorkshire and so far I’ve only had time to glance at your excellent comments. I want to read them fully, reflect a bit and then reply properly.

By the way we worked intensively for seven days on performing the Australian play 'Cloudstreet' by Tim Winton. I know that Richard is well aware of the work of Tim Winton.

Our week started from scratch as a group of 24 totally unconnected people under the leadership of two directors and two assistant directors building up to a public performance.

It was certainly a terrific learning experience for me. I was well outside my comfort zone. I learned a lot about leadership, front liners and team work.

Our public performance took place on Saturday morning; seven days after 28 people unknown to each other met for the first time. The performance was well received by the audience of approximately 125 people.

It was terrific 'learning by doing.' It reminded me yet again how focus, teamwork and good leadership can produce a 'product' that people seem to enjoy.

Customer Feedback Needed

I’m really looking forward to a week away with Annie from Saturday 2nd August. We will be leaving our two dogs and the house in the capable hands of my in-laws Eric and Pauline.

We are going on a residential acting summer school in Harrogate – should be fun!!

I was having an email conversation with David Wike and David rightly feels I should leave something ‘meaty’ on Simplicity Blog for hearty and meaningful discussion over a few virtual beers (wine for the more sophisticated among you).

So … having thought about it for at least 2 minutes I am going to ask you to discuss what sort of stuff you like to see on the Simplicity Blog – what works – what doesn’t etc.

I am always going on about my passion for finding out what customers think so please don’t be backward with your advice - as if you would have any hesitation anyway.

Discuss it among yourselves to your heart’s content while I am away.

Needless to say I'll try hard to resist visiting a PC next week but if I do manage to find an odd moment or two I may join in the conversation from sunny Yorkshire.

Enjoy the discussion and of course .... all the drinks are on David Wike!!!