National Health Service refers to England’s publicly funded healthcare system. Like other government arms such as the police, this program is funded with revenues from the general tax system. The members are given a card that they use to access free medical services in the UK at “free at the point of use” basis.
The National Health Service has thousands of employees and it comes fourth after the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Wal-Mart and Indian Railways. These include general practitioners, nurses, ambulance staff and dental staff. The number of workers is approximated to be more than 1.7 million people.
Costs Associated with Supplying the Drugs
The number of people in England who suffer from dementia (Alzheimer) is approximated to be about 800,000 people with 500,000 of the cases occurring in the most common form. Under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, these people qualify for National Health Services. The cost of transporting drugs for dementia and all other related costs are estimated to be about £23 billion a year.
The increase in the number of patients per year is estimated to be 60,000 people, which means that the cost of taking care of affected people is bound to increase significantly over the years.
This is costly to the government given that the National Health Service spends an estimate of about £800 to £1000 per year on each patient. The total cost figure will therefore increase by 60,000 each year and yet the disease is not curable. This factor has necessitated rationing so that funds are also available for other programs.
Benefits of the Program
Even though it is costly, this program has various benefits. Alzheimer patients require appropriate care in the hands of medical practitioners. The increase in number of cases means that more practitioners have to be involved thereby creating more employment opportunities.
Unlike in some other countries where such care may not be available, the existence of this program from the National Health Services ensures that old people suffering from Alzheimer are well cared for and endure less suffering. This is in consideration of the fact that drugs for this condition are expensive and many people may not be in a position to afford them.
Evaluation of costs and benefits over time
Taking care of people with Alzheimer puts much pressure on the National Health Services. This therefore requires proper evaluation of costs versus benefits. As the cost of medical care increases, there should be an increase in the quality of healthcare.
This would be the only symbol of progress in the long run. However, measures are to be taken to reduce costs while ensuring that the quality of healthcare remains the same or improves. For instance, generic drugs are to be adopted in the long run but considerable care should be taken to ensure that their use do not have detrimental effects on the patients.
Opportunity Costs
While taking care of Alzheimer cases, the NHS foregoes much in terms of opportunity costs. Alzheimer is not a curable disease and yet the drugs for the same are extremely expensive. The £23 billion a year budget could have been used to treat other diseases or sponsor research for curable ailments but it is being pumped into Alzheimer care.
A report by Alzheimer Care also indicated that Alzheimer people stayed longer in hospital beds with their condition deteriorating instead of improving over time. Their absence could make room for other patients whose condition may improve over time.