NHS waiting times have consistently come under the spotlight. Since the pandemic, waiting times have increased even more. In England there are currently 5.6m people on the list, including those who need urgent surgery. Long waiting times force people to look elsewhere for support. One family from Northern Ireland found a clinic in Turkey, costing them £50,000, money they do not have. Which lead them to campaigning to raise the amount. This was successful. However, this is just one story, some people are not as lucky.
Cases such as these have highlighted a clear divide between wealth when it comes to healthcare and waiting times. Research carried out by King’s Fund, shows that those on waiting lists in poorer areas are nearly twice as likely as those in wealthier areas to wait more than one year for treatment. With more and more people feeling the unfairness and disadvantages that come with living in a society that puts wealth before the everything else, this is beginning to create an environment where more people feel forced into private healthcare (as said by BBC news.)
An increase in anxiety and frustration can be clearly seen when people speak about healthcare and the government, understandably in fact. Even before the pandemic, waiting times were high. However, there is a clear increase since. It’s hard to put forward changes such as this one. It’s always a good idea to start by getting a conversation going and taking further steps as a group that shares a common goal, this one being the unfairness that comes with long waiting times.
Some things you can do to start a conversation:
- Prepare what you want to stay if you think it would help.
- Start the conversation with a clear outline of what is happening.
- Take it slow, don’t overwhelm the other person with lots of information.
- Listen to the other persons opinions.
- Find out what they already know on the matter and further educate them if needed.
- Create a clear ending of the conversation, including ways to further help etc.
Major changes need to be made so that people can get the right access to support, meeting everyone’s health needs, not just a few.
