Our NHS What's The Problem?

The health service is under pressure – some staff share their views on the reasons

- Claire Saul

Newspapers, social media, coffee mornings, bus queues – you can’t escape daily gripes over the National Health Service. While there are plenty of positive experiences to share about our public healthcare system, many of us seem to share the same frustrations; difficulties making a GP appointment, hours spent waiting for a bed to become available on a hospital ward and long waits for treatment. But what exactly is the issue? We asked for perspectives from within the NHS.

Money And Management

I used to be a midwife but I left on health grounds due to stress six years ago,” says Amanda Mallett. “I trained to make a difference in helping women during what can be a frightening and stressful time, but as a qualified midwife I didn’t feel as though I was able to fulfil this expectation. I found the health service to be stretched far too thinly with everyone only able to do the bare minimum and consequently things would get overlooked, which ultimately compromised patient care. Job satisfaction was really low.

“The solution to this is not only increased funding to provide more midwives to cope with an ever-increasing demand, but also good management. Unfortunately, the management staff aren’t necessarily trained managers, but health professionals who have worked their way up to those positions.