Ideas to Help Reduce Soaring NHS Costs
The NHS is almost like a religion. But its costs are soaring, and often the money could be used on prevention, rather than bed-blocking.
This Book May Save Your Life is a funny book by a popular NHS surgeon, showing truthful and scientific ways to feel better. The book’s chapters covers:
- The Brain
- The Heart
- The Lungs
- Sleep
- Bones
- Sight
- Hearing
- Taste
- Touch
- Genitals
- Bugs
- Death!
Let me describe my job in non-medical terms. I slice into people when they’re asleep (with their consent) and remove things. I should stress that I’m one of the good guys, because despite missing some stuff from their bodies, they feel better as a result.
Over the course of my career, I’ve had the blessing of witnessing miracles and tragedies. I’ve come to appreciate that the human body is both a wonder of biology and a total death-trap.
Throughout the book, you’ll find ‘save yourself’ health hacks. I’ve no intention of reminding you to blink and breathe. His tips include:
- Eating healthy foods that you like
- Drinking around 2 litres of water daily
- Taking regular exercise
- No cigarettes (nor vaping)
- Little or no alcohol
The book then goes through each organ of the body, with quick fixes (and a little first aid thrown in too for some chapters).
Get a Yearly Medication Review
Unlike Scotland (where prescriptions are free), in England you usually have to pay for them unless eligible for free prescriptions (this should also entitle you to free dental care, eye care and wigs (for cancer treatment or alopecia).
It’s estimated that around 8.4 million people in England are prescribed 5 or more medicines (and a fifth of hospital admissions for older people are due to adverse effects).
Safely removing people off unnecessary medicines could make people safer, reduce waste (and animal testing – all medicines are tested by law) and save an estimated £300 million that could be put to better use.
Once registered with a GP, ask for a medical review, as millions of pounds are wasted on people storing up medications they never use.
A good GP should offer a yearly review (if not, ask for one). This way you can safely adjust or remove or improve medications, to avoid NHS waste. Take unused medicines to your local pharmacy for recycling (never flush them down the loo).
You can download the free NHS app to order repeat prescriptions from a nominated pharmacy, book appointments, view your GP health record, register organ donation decisions, view your NHS number and use NHS 111 online to answer questions and get instant advice or medical help near you.
Recycled Paper Medication Tracker Pads
These medication tracker pads are ideal to keep organised if you take medicines. They are beautifully illustrated, printed on recycled paper and sent in plastic-free packaging.
Millions of pounds is wasted yearly on the NHS, from ordering unused medicines. Ask your GP each year for a medication review, to ensure ‘dinosaur doctors’ are not just doling out unnecessary medicines.
And always recycle unused medicines at the pharmacy, never throw them out or flush them down the loo.
In two designs, these trackers help to make it easy to ensure you take medicine, don’t forget and also don’t overdose. There is a clear overview of what to take when, plus a little sparkle of colour, because medicine is not the most fun subject.
You can log what you’ve taken, then tick off as you go, in the tracker section. This tracker was created, after the designer’s delivery of her baby did not go to plan
.Bedridden for weeks and taking heaps of medication and injections, she drew out a schedule, but was inspired to create something a bit more fun and colourful.
She knows that so many people struggle with serious illness like cancer and Alzheimer’s. And they deserve to have a little more creativity added to their day.
The 52 tear-away pages have cardboard backing, and there is a hole at the top, to easily hang up the chart.
A Heart Supplement in Sustainable Packaging
Without a doubt, our heart is the most important organ, and when it stops beating, we’re gone. You should be fine in most cases without supplements. But if your GP says you need to look after your heart better, ask him or her about this supplement:
Dr Vegan HeartPro is a supplement in a metal tin, sold with refills in sustainable pouches. Formulated by expert nutritionists, this includes plant sterols to reduce LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and TV (total serum cholesterol) to help reduce risk of heart disease, along with healthy eating and regular exercise. Most users find cholesterol lowers by around 6 to 12% within 3 to 6 weeks.
Speak to your GP before replacing statins, and check with GP if pregnant/nursing or you have medical conditions or are taking medication.
Keep supplements away from young children & pets. This supplement contains probiotics that are sensitive to heat, so take with a cold drink.
Serve Plant-Based Hospital Meals
It makes obvious sense that when all the medical experts say plant-based food is healing, to offer more choices on the NHS, whether that’s a stay in hospital, or for patients in residential and nursing homes.
The Devil’s Kitchen is a plant-based food caterer that can offer wholesome meals in sustainable packaging to hospitals, schools and caterers nationwide. Everything is free from soy and the major allergens, with no palm oil.
Patients can download template letters before hospital stays, to explain their dietary needs.
In the US, a Californian hospital (and all New York hospitals) now offer vegan food by default, with most patients opting for it, even if they are not vegan or vegetarian.
The recipes are also free from gluten and the top 9 allergens, and it also saves money, on not having to provide different meals for everyone. Many African-Americans are also lactose-intolerant, so this also alleviates this issue at source.
If you are a vegan not receiving good food, you can contact PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) run by your local NHS.
Professor Tim Spector has called on the government recently to make plant-based food standard in UK hospitals, as there is more than enough proof that it could speed healing.
This is not just vegan zealot mission, rather a proven way to save the NHS around £74 million a year, which could be used for other needed projects.
Plants First Healthcare is working to encourage vegan food to be the default food in healthcare settings. This organisation is run by a team of NHS professionals.
Free Meal Plans for Nursing Homes
Vegetarian for Life is a charity specifically created to help serve vegans and vegetarians in care homes, hospitals or independent living facilities.
Often those preparing meals don’t know how to make veggie options, and it’s also obviously important to ensure that guests or patients receive the right nutrients too with their meals.
Before cooking, read up on food safety for people & pets (important for residential/nursing homes with resident or visiting pets).
Dog-walking charity The Cinnamon Trust holds a list of pet-friendly care homes.
The meal planners offer easy meals that most people will enjoy eating. Examples include:
- Baked potato, baked beans, date & orange salad, fresh fruit
- Lentil & spinach quiche, chips, mixed salad, stewed apple & raisins
- Tomato & basil soup, vegan lemon meringue pie
- Veggie roast, potatoes, jam sponge & custard
- Cottage pie, cabbage, yoghurt & mixed berries
- Chickpea croquettes, chips, salad, rice pudding
- Macaroni soup, bread, banana split
- Vegan ham & salad sandwiches, Victoria sponge
- Pasta bolognese, sweetcorn & beetroot salad, ginger cake
- Cauliflower cheeze, baked potato, peas, apricot blueberry crumble
- Vegan cheese & tomato sandwich, cherry cake
You can also download a free 32-page catering guide and a guide to textured foods, for vegans and vegetarians who are no longer able to eat solid food. Plus grants to help vegans live independently.
