Why equal access?
THE NHS Constitution requires the NHS to provide comprehensive healthcare for everyone, based on need.
It starts with the words ‘The NHS belongs to the people.’ In fact, it is becoming apparent that is belongs to some of the people more than others.
According to Charlotte Augst, former CEO of National Voices, the pandemic has highlighted that the NHS is not consistently providing universal healthcare, due to the rationing of services. We know from the Marmot Review that this is having a disgraceful impact on health. But poverty can’t be blamed solely for the lack of universality of healthcare.
The Universal Healthcare Network argues that the design of the NHS has also been complicit in these failures. That is why the National Inquiry is expected to make a real shift in the way the health and care system works together.