An NHS free at the point of use is making the public too ‘lazy’ to look after themselves, a top pharmacy boss has claimed.
Sam Patel, a director of one of the UK’s biggest pharmacy chains, warned that the lack of fees meant there was little incentive to get sick.
It also encourages people to accept a lower level of care, he added.
Mr Patel is a director of Day Lewis Pharmacy which operates more than 260 stores in the UK.
One of the company’s co-directors was among private healthcare executives invited to a Downing Street health summit in January, chaired by Rishi Sunak and focused on cleaning up Covid residue.
The director of one of the UK’s biggest pharmacy chains, Sam Patel, has warned that the lack of fees gives little incentive to get sick and also encourages people to accept lower levels of care (stock image).
Speaking at an event organized by strategy consultancy Global Counsel, Mr Patel said: “Having an NHS fundamentally makes too many people lazy to look after their own health.
“Anything that’s free, we just accept it with a lower level of care.”
He said people should make sure they “take care of ourselves and stay fit with vitamins, minerals and supplements.”
“A lot of you would have read a free newspaper on the subway or train on the way here and we know it’s not as good as the one you pay for, but we still read the free one because it’s free,” he said. said. added.
“And it’s the same with the NHS, you’re not as likely to feel sick because you’re looked after.
“In other countries, even in emerging markets like India, where my parents are originally from, people spend a lot of money to avoid getting sick, because it’s dangerous.
“We need to change the mindset of the population to take care of themselves.”
His comments come after the British Social Attitudes survey revealed last week that for the first time more people are dissatisfied than satisfied with the NHS, with dissatisfaction doubling in two years.
Figures show that overall 51 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied with the NHS, but Mr Patel said a separate poll by Ipsos Mori found community pharmacists had an approval rating of 91 per cent.
He said: “Pharmacy companies need to provide excellent service because if they don’t, their financial security is at stake.”
The director of Day Lewis also complained about the difficulty of getting the NHS to incorporate innovative ideas.
He said that while the commercial sector took significant risks to be involved in projects with the NHS, the service suffered from a culture where people were not held accountable for delivery.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
