Julian Tudor Hart wrote:
The availability of good medical care tends to vary inversely with the need for it in the population served. This … operates more completely where medical care is most exposed to market forces, and less so where such exposure is reduced.” (Hart, 1971)
Since this seminal work it has been proved time and time again that those people needing the most healthcare get less than those people needing the most. The reasons for this is complicated but Hopecitadel believes that it does not always need to be the case.
How are we tackling this inequality:
- By employing brilliant doctors who are skilled in listening, diagnosing and understanding the complexity of health including the interlocking social and community factors.
- By giving these doctors a great team including experienced nurses, healthcare assistants and administration staff.
- By employing and funding counsellors and community nurses to unlock the strands of family dynamics, life events, and complex social issues.
- By emoloying reception staff who are passionate to see patients get well, are advocates for patients and genuinely love their job.
- By working with other agencies to deliver cross programes and shared care such as housing, police, schools and local groups
- By working with churches and other faith organisations to offer support, friendship and chaplaincy.
- By employing local people and training them well giving them a career in the NHS.
- By using our inbuilt creativity to find new solutions to problems and issues
To believe and change, holding on to hope until we see it occur.