Life in NHS and Pandemic

Life in NHS and Pandemic

Due to this pandemic people have become more interest in what happening around the world may be even if it is many miles away. The sole reason is that everyone is bound by the same question even though the answer is different from one country to other. Europe is hot topic as after the China Italy, Spain and England hardly hit by the virus. Therefore, I would like to share some of my experiences in NHS.

NHS is the world’s largest public funded health system. It is the world's third biggest employee after Walmart in America and Indian Railway. It says 1 out of every 6 people in UK somehow involve with NHS as a service provider or as a supplier. It is one of the most diverse place to work as people from all corners of the world come to join NHS. After world war II people have realize how important is the Health Service and as result of that NHS founded in 1948.

NHS has been helping to Sri Lanka for many decades to train their consultants and regularly supply with more knowledge and practice to the Sri Lankan health system. Many numbers of Sri Lankans also work in NHS giving their valuable skills and training in patient care and it is sizeable portion among their staff. More than 30% of the health staff in NHS merely filled with foreign nationals.

Since beginning of Pandemic there are lot of discussion around NHS as it was considered as one of the bench mark of world health service. I joined to NHS in year 2014 and since 2017 I am working in a hospital closer to London.

As per updated report more than 10000 hospitalized people lost their lives because of COVID-19 infection. This figure doesn't include figures outside the hospital and mainly deaths in care homes. Nearly 2000 care homes caught up with the virus and altogether up to 17000 people have lost their lives. There is no question that this figure is keep rising. But at the moment it says number of new infections had stabilize or gone down and figures expect to come down after next week. Now the daily average death rate in hospitals around 700-800. At the beginning according to scientific analysis it says less than 20000 deaths from this pandemic would be a great victory. But the figures show that it can easily pass 20000 mark.

There is lot of criticism against the government with relate to handling the crisis. Main complaint against not ramping up number of tests. At the moment there are 15000 tests per day and plan is to increase number up to 100000 at the end of the month.

London is the mostly affected part compare to other areas in the country. Out of that north London is the wort affected area. Some of the north London Hospitals had only Covid patients and majority of Health staff only treating to Covid patients as the volume is so high. According to recent update my hospital is having 100 inpatients, 25 in ITU with ventilation and 40 waiting for results. So, anyone can imagine scale of the pandemic and how badly NHS had been affected. Now it says nearly 20 health care staff lost their lives. This includes Sri Lankan retired consultant Physician who join later to combat against the virus. North London also important for Sri Lanka as many Sri Lankans live in this area.

When the outbreak starts, NHS had only 8000 ventilators and now they have increase it up to 15000. They expect to increase number up to 30000 and companies like GM, Airbus, Jaguar came forward to help build the machines. Also, vacuum cleaner producer Dyson came forward with proto type ventilator and they also ramping up their products to increase the numbers. Also, government turned one of the biggest exhibitions and conventional center into world largest ITU with 4000 beds with help of Army. similar kind of hospital are building up in Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Northern Ireland. But the number beds are far fewer than the Nightingale Hospital in Excel world.

Anyone can imagine the feelings who has gone through this difficult situation. My family has not gone out for last 4 weeks apart for empty the dustbin. Good thing is supermarkets have enough supplies and there is no short of basic items. People do their shopping with keeping two-meter rule and seems they are very responsible in this crisis.

As a country people are so gratitude for NHS and the service they provide to the country. As everyone knows British prime minister also end up with the virus and admitted to the ITU. He had been recovered after stayed in hospital for 4 days and he applaud the NHS for its service.

The main lesson that we can take from the NHS is health should never be private equity business and it should be free and open to everyone. This is the main difference when it comes to US health system and UK health system.

Janaka Jayasinghe