NHS is not, and cannot be, equal for all

doi:10.1136/bmj.a896

Published 22 July 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a896
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a896

Letters

Cancer drugs and copayments

NHS is not, and cannot be, equal for all

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

There has been much criticism of BMA chairman Hamish Meldrumin the national press recently but no one seems to have pointedout that the NHS is not, and cannot be, equal for all.¹

During the last century, when not working in Africa, I did locumsin all parts of the country from St Austell to the Orkneys.I suspect that many such informal arrangements still exist.I hope so. Those who press for equality intend that they shouldeither be scrapped or the citizens of Hampstead be asked toopen up their sitting room for the doctor to do a surgery oncea week and accommodation for outpatients at University CollegeHospital arranged at the local Hilton.

I fear we are returning to the state the nation was in 60 yearsago. The middle class is doing all right, their minor ailments,neuroses, and lifestyle ailments are catered for. . . . [Full text of this article]

Anne Savage, retired

¹ London NW3 5RA

savage.anne@btinternet.com