The National Health Service was once Britain's pride and joy. It is now a national disgrace.Reports during the last 18 months tell of patients left in beds in corridors, offices, storage areas, kitchens, bathrooms and mop cupboards. Inspectors found filthy wards, blood-spattered walls, mouldy bathrooms and soiled furniture.
Up to 1,200 patients died needlessly in mid-Staffordshire, in part through "appalling" standards of hygiene. Up to 400 patients died in another hospital trust area because of an "appalling" lack of care. It was estimated that more than 3,000 patients could be dying needlessly every year.
Dehydration is said to contribute to the deaths of more than 800 hospital patients every year. Many succumb to malnutrition because of unappetising food, food left on tables out of reach of patients and nurses being too busy to help frail or elderly patients to eat.
It is not claimed that these things are standard in every hospital or with every patient: but the fact that they happen at all is bad enough.
A report by the Health Service Ombudsman published this week, scathing in its description of NHS care for the elderly, gives details of 10 of the large number of cases investigated by the ombudsman in a 12-month period.
One man with advanced stomach cancer was left for hours in agonising pain, without water, without toilet facilities, unable to summon help and so dehydrated he couldn't speak.
One woman was not given a bath or a shower during 13 weeks in hospital, did not have her wound dressings changed and was denied food and drink.
As a result of their suffering in the care of the NHS, the 10 had been transformed from alert and able individuals to people who were dehydrated, malnourished or unable to communicate. In many cases, their suffering was ignored. Nine of the 10 died while in NHS care or soon afterwards.
Said the ombudsman, Ann Abraham: "The findings of my investigations reveal an attitude - both personal and institutional - which fails to recognise the humanity and individuality of the people concerned and to respond to them with sensitivity, compassion and professionalism. . .
"These accounts present a picture of NHS provision that is failing to meet the most basic standards of care."
Michelle Mitchell, charity director of Age UK, said the inhumane treatment described in the report was "sickening."
Experts brought in to television studios to discuss the report spoke of the need for more training. But it doesn't need training to know that patients need food and water and need to be clean and comfortable.
The NHS budget has tripled in a decade and there are now almost more managers than beds. So will things improve?
Evidently not. This week's report says extra resources would not help because of the "casual indifference" of staff and their "bewildering disregard" for people's needs.
A health correspondent said on television the trouble is the culture in the NHS.
What does that mean? I can't do anything single handed, so there's no point trying? No one else bothers, so why should I? Whatever's wrong, it's somebody else's fault?
This could not possibly have happened 60 years ago.
Might I be permitted to suggest a deeper, more fundamental cause? This nation is a nation away from God, and a nation away from God breeds an uncaring people.
People who really care should be praying for the day this nation turns back to its Maker.
