We asked everyone at the event on New Thinking for the NHS, to tell us the one thought they would ‘take-away’. Their responses are as follows:
- The crucial importance of retention of highly qualified and experienced medical practitioners – the workplace environment, staff morale and well-being are key to this. I was impressed by the commitment and insights of the panel members who are Medics. Thank you.
- Equipping our young people better for their lives – skills, fitness and health – could be a renewed focus.
- Prevention is better than cure.
- The importance of right education of children, starting in Primary School. Need education, health, well-being – holistic approach in society.
- What an enjoyable evening! Please keep me on your mailing list.
- Enabling early diagnosis of a wide range of health issues at GP level, to avoid protracted waiting for specialist consultants to isolate precise condition and its appropriate treatment. (Germany was cited as an example.)
- Something has to change!
- Everyone can be critical.
- To involve all sectors in the community, education, and civic and social.
- Education of our youth and managing expectation of all, is important.
- For everyone to take more responsibility for their health and well-being. For everyone to plan for their future including their old age.
- Very complex. Cannot comment on this as one would need much more info’.
- Engage with younger generation to make sure they’re aware of health and well-being.
- The importance of quality of life; breathing alone is not enough!
- Recognition that the present NHS needs radical re-organisation – politics should not come into this. Also an acknowledgement that circumstances are very different from the time (the NHS) was formed in 1948. Not least the increase in population and demographics on this, particularly in recent years. One wonders why the elderly have suddenly become such a problem when birth rates have always been recorded – not least the ‘bulge’ post-war.
- If the NHS, as it is today, implodes, the health and wealth of the UK will suffer irretrievably.
- The lack of a longer term vision, and commitment to it, must surely throttle the motivation of the very staff on whom those needing health and care services will depend – which is likely to include all of us at some stage. This is simply not good enough!