Is the NHS the key?

I make no apology for my continued focus on the UK.

Any government should be looking to increase national productivity – by identifying key areas and key levers they can ‘pull’.

In the case of the UK, the National Health Service is such a large part of government spending, that driving efficiency here is essential.  Governments have tried but the NHS is such a behemoth, that it is a difficult exercise.  Changes to one part of the NHS cause difficulties (and unforeseen problems) elsewhere in ‘the system’.

So, the secret is to go for a change in attitude and motivation – and let the NHS change itself.

Setting targets can help – but setting a lower budget is politically unacceptable … the NHS is virtually untouchable – an icon of UK life.  However without some radical changes (such as small charges at the point of use), real change cannot happen,

If we ‘grasp the nettle’ and manage to make the NHS more productive, we can make a massive impact on GDP and on national productivity.

We cannot afford not to try.