IMPACT OF HEALTH POLICY AND REFORM

Impact Of Health Policy And Reform

Impact Of Health Policy And Reform

'Quality of life is defined as an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to the goals, expectations, standards and concerns. It is a broad ranging concept affected in a complex way by the person's physical health, psychological state, and level of independence, social relationships, and their relationships to salient features in their environment.' (Quote by World Health Organisation's Quality of Life Group, cited in Reader p80)

The NHS provides the majority of healthcare in the UK, from general practitioners to hospitals, long-term healthcare, dentistry and ophthalmology. It was founded in 1948 and has become an integral part of British society, culture and everyday life. However, changes needed to be made in order to improve the service and meet the needs of the service users. Problems in the NHS came from under funding, a lack of national standards, barriers between services, lack of incentives and objectives and over-centralisation and disempowered patients. This had a negative effect on the patient. Their emotional needs were weakened because they had no advocacy to speak their requests and also because their intellectual levels had not been considered. Patients could not understand the medical jargon spoken and this affected their treatment as a whole.

The NHS consulted the public in order to see what they think was necessary to be changed in the health service as they are the users of the service. This consultation showed that the public wanted the following:

* More and better paid staff using new ways of working

* Reduced waiting times and high quality care centred on patients

* Improvements in local hospitals and surgeries

Health and social care services were considered as separate. This did not fully meet the needs of users as when being admitted into a hospital for physical requirements, their mental needs were not considered. Because of this, the NHS plan was formed and implemented in 2000 which identified the difference between the health services and the social services and enabling them to work together to develop a more efficient service for the user. It ensures that their needs are fully met.

The NHS plan 2000 outlines the vision of a health service designed around the patient. The Plan proposes far reaching changes across the NHS. It outlines a new delivery system for the NHS as well as changes between health and social services, and changes for NHS doctors, for nurses, midwives, therapists and other NHS staff. The plan also outlines changes for patients and in the relationship between the NHS and the private sector. This plan was implemented in order to forward the NHS into a better all round service and to keep up with the quick pace of changes in society. Their purpose as described in the plan is to: “give the people of Britain a health service fit for the 21st century, a health service designed ...