By John Tingle
The English National Health Service (NHS) was 75 years of age on 5th July 2023 and there was a lot to celebrate. We are proud of our universal health care system which provides free care at the point of delivery. The NHS is an intrinsic part of our national heritage and culture.
The King’s Fund provide some facts and figures on the NHS. It has one of the world’s largest workforces with around 1.26 million full-time equivalent staff in England, as of November 2022. In terms of patient care and treatment, the King’s Fund states that on an average day in the NHS, more than 1.2 million people attend a general practitioner (GP) appointment, and around 260,000 an outpatient appointment. The NHS faces high demand for finite health care resources. We have a growing elderly population in England presenting often with comorbidities. Staffing levels are also a problem, which is being addressed in the NHS long term workforce plan.