Dr Gerada aims to discover whether what she described as ‘perhaps the largest market-driven health service in the world,’ works.
Dr Gerada said that the self-funded trip came after many expressed concerns over the NHS moving towards a market-based system under reforms set out in the Health and Social Care Bill.
‘That our own NHS was moving ever closer to an American-style health service has been one of the major concerns widely expressed regarding the health reforms, and I thought it would be useful to see how this system works on the ground,’ Dr Gerada said.
In her blog, Dr Gerada said that she intended to visit a community health centre, as well as a county hospital and a RAM (Remote Area Medical) clinic to see how different clinical settings coped with service provision.
‘It promises to be a really interesting week, and I am particularly looking forward to an interview with medical campaigner Wendell Potter, and philanthropist Stan Brock, which I hope will give me an opportunity to discuss fully the various patient considerations and concerns that come with a market-driven health service, and what steps they have taken to address them,’ Dr Gerada said.
RCGP chairwoman visits US on health fact-finding mission
RCGP chairwoman Dr Clare Gerada has travelled to Chicago for a week to experience the US health system first hand.
