The good results of the NHS lies in the strength of its values | The massive problem

The altruism of blood donors is what aids to drive the NHS. Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian

As a committed NHS advisor (element retired) dealing with leukaemias amid other haematological issues, I read through Will Hutton’s column with wonderful fulfillment (“The NHS is loved and effective, so why the obsession with reform?”, Comment). Not due to the fact I want a pat on the back, but due to the fact his position on the NHS and condemnation of the present government’s systematic and determined undermining of the organisation resonate with my own and numerous others’ attitudes. He is right to assess that its power lies in the underlying “value driven” ethos. His reference to the “drive to cure” uniting the teams, such as the altruistic blood and marrow donors, is, in my mind, what it is all about and why I function in it.

It was the freedom from getting to be commercial that permitted me and my colleagues to location the patients’ interests as our paramount concern. By no means getting to query how a patient was to spend for their remedy has been a great privilege.

Susan J Kelly

Kidlington

Oxon

It’s genuinely good to know that Will Hutton has seasoned very first-class leukaemia companies with the NHS at the superb UCL, but he will know the problems that other sufferers expertise due to the fact of the variability of individuals companies across the NHS. He will also recognise the issues of concerns of late diagnosis of cancer highlighted by Macmillan cancer care. Most major patient groups, as nicely as the NHS Confederation, are arguing strongly for new models of well being and social care that are much better co-ordinated about patients’ lives and not overall health providers’ organisational requirements.

We believe in the ethos of the NHS and that it is powerful adequate to go with these adjustments demanded by sufferers. The last factor the NHS requirements as it faces the challenges of better demand is complacency.

Professor Paul Corrigan

and Mike Parish, chief executive, Care Uk

c/o Reform

London SW1

It is a shame that politicians are not as candid in public as they are in private about the problems dealing with the NHS. Increasing patient demand, falling resources, workforce shortages: the image sadly is the exact same during the NHS. However, politicians in public seem to ignore this reality and instead meddle in the NHS in a way that ends up contributing to the problem rather than solving it.

The Health and Social Care Act wasted enormous amounts of time and assets on an experiment that is already fragmenting the delivery of care by introducing needless competition. It is not surprising in this climate that a BMA poll located that three-quarters of the public thought politicians designed their polices to win votes rather than improve care.

We require our policymakers to be transparent about the state of the NHS and to end inflicting sick considered-out policies on a overall health services that is already struggling. Most importantly, politicians need to have this conversation in public rather than hiding their remarks behind close doors.

Dr Mark Porter

Chair of BMA Council

London WC1

Toby Helm reminds us that the pointless £3bn shake-up of the NHS caused by Andrew Lansley was not voted for and not spelled out in the 2010 election manifesto (“Minister: NHS is out of our management”, Information). Actually, it is far worse than that. He had informed us clearly that it was not going to happen. At the British Pharmaceutical conference in 2009, in front of a number of hundred pharmacy and scientific colleagues, Mr Lansley informed me, in response to a direct query, that no main NHS reorganisation was planned. His reply was, for a politician, surprisingly clear and unequivocal. So was the palpable sigh of relief between my 700 or so colleagues at this welcome information. I will not forgive Mr Lansley or his celebration for getting so very cost-effective with the truth.

Brian Curwain

Christchurch, Dorset

Dorset

The good results of the NHS lies in the strength of its values | The massive problem