The Commonwealth Fund’s analysis of healthcare systems is dangerously misleading (Report, 14 July). While our processes might out-do the other 10 healthcare systems considered in the study, unfortunately the NHS’s outcomes – in other words, how patients fare when treated – rank second-to-last. Hardly “the envy of the world”, the UK has one of the highest rates of avoidable deaths in western Europe; indeed, thousands of lives could be saved each year if NHS patients who suffered from a stroke or had a condition like cancer were treated by social health insurance systems in Germany or Belgium.
Our processes may be second to none, but somehow they result in terrible outcomes. It’s all very well to say the UK has the safest and most affordable healthcare system, but if more patients are dying in the care of the NHS than in other healthcare systems, something is not right.
While it’s tempting to use this study as an excuse to sweep the NHS’s failures under the rug, the study highlights that we have a lot to learn from other systems when it comes to patient care. And yes, all these systems provide universal coverage, just like the NHS. In the light of the study’s findings, it’s time we took reform seriously because, for the sake of patients’ lives, it cannot come soon enough.
Mark Littlewood
Director general at the Institute of Economic Affairs
• Polly Toynbee’s piece (Driving students away from nursing is a spectacular act of political self-harm, theguardian.com, 13 July) is a repeat of misleading claims that fewer nurses are being trained. As pointed out to the Guardian previously, the reality is that Health Education England has increased adult nurse commissions significantly in each of the three years we have been responsible for new nurses. We have grown adult nurse-training places by nearly 15%.
Although our remit is primarily for the future workforce, we have also taken decisive short-term action to help the service. Our ongoing return-to-practice campaign has already secured 3,596 nurses on programmes. The new nursing associate role and more flexible training pathways into nursing, such as apprenticeships, will help to support the service. We are also working with NHS partners to reduce turnover and improve retention in the existing nurse workforce.
Professor Ian Cumming
Chief executive, Health Education England
• Henry Marsh states (8 July) that there is “free” healthcare in all Scandinavian countries. This is not the case.
In Sweden everybody over 18 and below 85 has to pay to see a GP, visit A&E or stay overnight in hospital. Fees vary slightly, but in Stockholm they are: A&E visit, £37; GP visit, £18; hospital stay, £9 per night.
After you have paid more than £101 you can apply for a “free-card”, which entitles you to free visits to GPs and A&Es, but not for overnight stays in hospital and not for missed appointments.
David Hargil Ingemarsson
London
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
.png?w=600)
