Richard McGinley gives his personal take on why it’s so important to keep the National Health Service free at the point of need and available for all at all times
THIS week, after having a mole removed, I found out that it was cancerous.
They removed enough of it to tell me that the shadow had passed, and I was okay. It was a fair bit to take in, but you have to deal with it.
The surgeon told me that I would have to keep an eye on things, though, as the problem might recur. It’s like being followed constantly by a guy with a knife, who, if you take your eye off him, will stab you and leave behind a nasty poison. But as long as you keep an eye out for him, you’ll be fine.
And that’s where the angel on my shoulder comes in to play. A support worker, a surgeon, and any number of people I can talk to if I’m worried; all free of charge and at the point of asking.
This angel has been looking out for me since before I was born. And he looks out for my friends and family as well. Whatever the problem, whenever it occurs, he’s a phone call away.
And that’s where the angel on my shoulder comes in to play. A support worker, a surgeon, and any number of people I can talk to if I’m worried; all free of charge and at the point of asking.
In fact, if I get hurt, even if it’s my fault, he’ll make sure that a big van filled with medical experts will come out to see me. And if it’s a big problem, they’ll take me somewhere to get it sorted.
I’ll get a room for as long as it takes. They’ll feed me. They’ll give me whatever treatment I need, whatever medication I want, all the care I need, and re-assure me if I’m worried.
All free of charge and at the point of asking.
If I’m in a major car crash, they won’t ask if it’s my fault. They’ll send a helicopter to fetch me if that’s what it requires. And not just me.
Which is why I find it difficult to believe when that angel, the National Health Service, is under threat, anyone can support a political party which wants to wind it down.
The current government, if it gets its way, will gradually move towards the American system of paying for health care. Even a visit to the surgery for a minor complaint will cost you, as it does, with some exceptions, in Ireland.
Which will mean, in turn, that people ignore certain ailments, and their general health will suffer. Some minor diseases will spread, causing days off work and lost productivity.
The current government, if it gets its way, will gradually move towards the American system of paying for health care. Even a visit to the surgery for a minor complaint will cost you.
So even from an economic point of view, as opposed to a personal one, it doesn’t make sense to run the service down.
Would I have checked a mole that wasn’t really a problem to look at, and didn’t cause me any particular discomfort, if there was a bill at the end of the visit?
Probably not, at least not until it was creating a real issue. By then, it could have been too late. It may have spread, or got into the bloodstream.
Even the angel on my shoulder may not have been able to help by then, which is why we should check these things out. So if you are worried about something similar, do it today. While you can.
For a lot of us, doctors, hospitals, ambulances and so on are something we take for granted. We only truly appreciate them when we need them, and that isn’t always very often.
Disappointingly, the recent election campaign saw all the major parties avoid the issue. All of the parties seem to agree it’s inevitable that the health service will be diminished.
The government will argue that due to an ageing population, the NHS is no longer affordable. It can no longer function under the weight of demand. But surely if the demand is there, then the money should be found from somewhere.
PS100bn from Trident. The billions on HS2 railway. Tax-dodging corporations who don’t pay their dues. And that’s just for starters.
Disappointingly, the recent election campaign saw all the major parties avoid the issue. All of the parties seem to agree it’s inevitable that the health service will be diminished.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Believe me, you’ll miss it when it’s gone.
Picture courtesy of the Scottish Government