Since the beginning of anti-Brexit rallies, parallel chants of saving the National Health Service or NHS for short can be heard in UK. Let’s have a look at what is this service and what impact Brexit will have on it.
History of the NHS
The NHS or the National Health Service was medical service started after or close to the end of world war two and was meant to replace the poor preexisting medical care system. Aneurin Bevan, commonly known as Nye Bevan, a Scottish labor MP, lead the establishment of the service as a means to offer the British people access to free healthcare where ever whenever, without worrying about the price tag associated with the treatment.
Problems Faced By The Service
Initially, the service was established in Scotland, but soon after, it spread to the rest of the UK. The health service has served the country faithful for 71 years, during which it has trained and produced some of the most reputed and respectable minds of the country. Over the years, the health service has deteriorated. Problems like lack or shortage of staff coupled with poor behavior of the staff have deeply impacted the repute if the institution.
Brexit A Pain In The Neck
To make matters worse, the prospects Brexit has brought the institution to the brink of extinction. A majority of lifesaving drugs and medical equipment that enter the UK are manufactured in the EU. As a result of Brexit, the cost of the essential medicines and medical equipment has gone up, making it impossible for a majority of people residing in the UK to afford them.
Trained and experienced staff are leaving the health service to pursue work abroad to pursue better job opportunities, thereby leaving a void that either can’t be filled or will take a long time to fill. Furthermore, the reduction in the allotted yearly budget has forced the organization to fire staff. This resulted in the launch of the “NHS Protection Bill” to ensure that the service does not fall into private or EU hands.
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