Brexit continues to appear to be a future and uncertain event. Nevertheless, let us look at it
from the point of view of Polish health care. Firstly, almost one-million- population of Poles in
the United Kingdom, even after partial repatriation, will continue to live on the Isles. Up till
now, due to EU regulations on coordination, while paying a visit to their old homeland they
could use the English EHIC card in the event of sudden illness. In the grim scenario, without
England and the European Union reaching agreement in the Norvegian style, it would be
necessary to either conclude a bilateral agreement or issue relevant unilateral national
regulations. Conclusion of a bilateral agreement might pose a challenge to any English
government – as it was exactly the social and healthcare benefits offered to Poles starting
work in the UK that were among the main causes for the decision of the British voters. Polish
budget will have to come to the rescue, which will be actually in line with the announced
transition from the health insurance system to budget funding of health care.
It would be worth mentioning here that the announced changes in Poland go further in the
direction of the British NHS, thus taking a step back from the insurance models in Germany
and France. In this respect, Poland may actually replace England and represent a centralised,
health care system funded from the state budget, within the European Union.<br>
The system has got two defining characteristics: lower financing in relation to the Gross
Domestic Product (although the amounts are higher than in Poland) and lower level of
meeting patient needs. The UK ranks 13th in the Euro Health Consumer Index, not only
behind France and Germany but also … the Czech Republic.
Another two questions will be of larger significance: questions about patients and medical
staff. This is a straightforward case as regards patients. Those who will remain British
residents, will remain the beneficiaries of this system due to its form. What will happen to
others will depend on the effectiveness of Polish diplomacy during divorce negotiations. The
bar is set really very high – as the example of Norway will be the point of reference.
In the case of the NHS staff the situation is even simpler. Due to the shortage of staff they are
not likely to have to look for a new job. On the other hand, it is quite difficult to assess the
impact of recession that is likely to follow Brexit on the NHS finances. The chances that the
funds saved in contributions to the EU will be spent on health care were questioned, despite campaign promises, by the leader of the
anti-EU UKIP party, Nigel Farage himself . It could be interpreted as follows: despite
obvious needs, there will not likely be funds for new posts for physicians and nurses …
Suggested further reading:
czwartek, 14 lipca 2016
środa, 22 czerwca 2016
Supporting a football team? Might be a bad idea.
I cannot be entirely impartial about watching football. Being a person, who even when made to watch a football match due to social expectations, rather pretends (out of courtesy but also to be honest, out of social conformism) to be interested than actually experiences emotions known to the true football fans, I certainly take a different point of view than millions of supporters living the UEFA European Championship to the full.
Nevertheless, the time of the games has come and opposing voices should also be heard. Including a voice which is not so much against the games themselves but against the context and the results. Let me adopt the perspective of public health here .
At first glance, it does not look bad. Theoretically speaking, football does not look so bad. The players enter the pitch, run, kick the ball, true - they occasionally suffer injuries, though incomparably less severe than in the case of boxing or weight lifting. It should be a good example for children, young people and adults. But is it really so?
Let us begin by stating the bare facts. Millions of bottles and cans of beer. Tonnes of chips, snacks, sausages and pizza. Hours spent in front of the television set, though watching the games at bars and pubs has been becoming a new Polish secular tradition. An additional cigarette smoked because of ‘the anxiety over the football match score’ …
Consumption is driven by a huge marketing machine, which entices millions of football fans into the sphere of its targets. Does it help to increase physical activity in the population? Any evidence? If yes, please share it with me. Will the games bring the result in the form of increased consumption of the mentioned products? Stock market reports directly show that – yes.
Pitifully, I have noticed not a single government communication or, more broadly speaking, a message from the politicians that would at least partially outweigh the negative impact of junk food and alcohol advertising. If any of you find an exception – then it is worth noting and popularising. I will be glad to admit that it escaped my attention… Perhaps we could find some positive psychological and emotional aspects of the phenomenon?
Shared emotional experiences, endorphins, mobilisation? Health has also psychological-social dimensions. Regardless of the funds spent on promotion, the European Championship would not be a success if it did not meet human needs. How does it work? Here we enter Terra ignota, though (for those more deeply interested in the topic) some results of psychological studies can be found, for example of studies on the differences between sport fans and the persons emotionally detached when it comes to sporting issues.
These emotions, even though engaging attention (and memory, here the link between emotions and memory has been quite well explored), seem to be risky too. Since the study of 2006 carried out on a group of German football fans (the study recalled during the Championship by the Polish Health Policy Institute*) shows that the risk of a heart attack is likely to be linked not only to bad diet but the very ‘adrenaline rushes’ while watching the match. Certainly it would be worth comparing the results of this study and the possible positive results of the ‘watching activities’… (perhaps someone will present them, on condition of providing reliable sources )
Regardless of the above: I think that from the point of view of public health the time of the games is actually the time lost. However, if the UEFA European Championship lasts for a few days longer, perhaps at least the journalists, not necessarily covering sports, will remind us that only watching sport will not make us any healthier…
And to end the post with a constructive proposal: the media covering sporting events (which is not a negligible sources of their income) would be obligated to advertise not only various products but also healthy lifestyle and to inform of the risks related to ‘emotions in sport’, alcohol, tobacco, and most snacks.
Original post in Polish
Nevertheless, the time of the games has come and opposing voices should also be heard. Including a voice which is not so much against the games themselves but against the context and the results. Let me adopt the perspective of public health here .
At first glance, it does not look bad. Theoretically speaking, football does not look so bad. The players enter the pitch, run, kick the ball, true - they occasionally suffer injuries, though incomparably less severe than in the case of boxing or weight lifting. It should be a good example for children, young people and adults. But is it really so?
Let us begin by stating the bare facts. Millions of bottles and cans of beer. Tonnes of chips, snacks, sausages and pizza. Hours spent in front of the television set, though watching the games at bars and pubs has been becoming a new Polish secular tradition. An additional cigarette smoked because of ‘the anxiety over the football match score’ …
Consumption is driven by a huge marketing machine, which entices millions of football fans into the sphere of its targets. Does it help to increase physical activity in the population? Any evidence? If yes, please share it with me. Will the games bring the result in the form of increased consumption of the mentioned products? Stock market reports directly show that – yes.
Pitifully, I have noticed not a single government communication or, more broadly speaking, a message from the politicians that would at least partially outweigh the negative impact of junk food and alcohol advertising. If any of you find an exception – then it is worth noting and popularising. I will be glad to admit that it escaped my attention… Perhaps we could find some positive psychological and emotional aspects of the phenomenon?
Shared emotional experiences, endorphins, mobilisation? Health has also psychological-social dimensions. Regardless of the funds spent on promotion, the European Championship would not be a success if it did not meet human needs. How does it work? Here we enter Terra ignota, though (for those more deeply interested in the topic) some results of psychological studies can be found, for example of studies on the differences between sport fans and the persons emotionally detached when it comes to sporting issues.
These emotions, even though engaging attention (and memory, here the link between emotions and memory has been quite well explored), seem to be risky too. Since the study of 2006 carried out on a group of German football fans (the study recalled during the Championship by the Polish Health Policy Institute*) shows that the risk of a heart attack is likely to be linked not only to bad diet but the very ‘adrenaline rushes’ while watching the match. Certainly it would be worth comparing the results of this study and the possible positive results of the ‘watching activities’… (perhaps someone will present them, on condition of providing reliable sources )
Regardless of the above: I think that from the point of view of public health the time of the games is actually the time lost. However, if the UEFA European Championship lasts for a few days longer, perhaps at least the journalists, not necessarily covering sports, will remind us that only watching sport will not make us any healthier…
And to end the post with a constructive proposal: the media covering sporting events (which is not a negligible sources of their income) would be obligated to advertise not only various products but also healthy lifestyle and to inform of the risks related to ‘emotions in sport’, alcohol, tobacco, and most snacks.
Original post in Polish
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