Question:
In what ways does the law define the boundaries between individual rights and the larger interests of national and local populations?
How do health care professionals (including pharmacists who are prescribing advisors) balance their ethical obligations to patients with their government-mandated mandate to meet budgets and other priority targets?
Answer:
Regulations that regulate the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors are subject to many disputes.
In 2007, the Pharmaceutical Journal reported on the cash problems faced by the National Health Service. This was the most notable.
Sometimes regulations stipulate that certain services must be paid for, while others should be free.
This raises concerns about expensive drugs like Herceptin being available only to certain patients.
Thus, laws can be seen as a way to define boundaries between individualistic rights versus the interests of the population.
The government is often responsible for providing medical services to the population.
Although there are many criteria that a government can use, the most important one is the determination if the population has a medical need (Steven et. al., 2017, 721).
To determine whether a service should be provided, it is necessary to establish need.
It is sensible for the government that it provides medical attention to its citizens, given the rising number of cases requiring medical attention.
According to the journal, the Labour government committed to providing medical services based on people’s needs.
Leaders fail to fulfill their promises, resulting in poor health and a lack of strict policies to regulate the sale, production and availability of medicine.
Many thought the creation of the National Health Service was a great rescue, especially since it outlined its duties.
The manifesto and the mandate it imposes are different than what is actually happening in real life.
The disillusionment of staff and managers led to them being held responsible for the failures.
Many people blame medical institutions for their failures. However, policymakers and institutions who make laws don’t know the consequences long-term.
The National Health Service Act shows that while an individual may have the power to make laws and have authority over an institution or authority, the same laws could have negative consequences for the provision of services (Rennie et. al., 2018 18).
The Secretary of State for health has been given the power and obligation to promote the comprehensive sector of the health services.
In order to achieve comprehensive service provision, health services have been legalized.
Financing is another important aspect to consider.
Financial resources are essential for institutions to function. This will allow them to provide better service delivery and increase their financial stability.
It is therefore a requirement that all primary care trusts and health boards operate within a budget (Nazar et. al., 2018, 7106).
The National Health Service was created to provide affordable health services to those who have limited access to it.
This helps to avoid the problem of inequalities in service delivery.
It is charged with providing technical assistance and expert assessments, especially in relation to the administration of certain drugs or treatments.
It is important to establish priorities, especially when ethical considerations are involved.
In some cases, funds may be set aside for certain conditions like cancer, but other issues are not considered (Al Omran 2018, 5).
This makes it necessary to consider whether certain medical areas are prioritized or not.
This decision is not sensible.
Sometimes it is worth considering whether blanket bans or policies on certain medications solve problems or create solutions.
The journal highlights the North Stoke Primary Care Trust’s decision to stop funding Herceptin, which was necessary for treating breast cancer.
This was due to the fact that the drug was not licensed but could solve a problem.
This case highlights the importance of ethics.
The first is the determination of whether lives are at risk for policies.
Second, it is sensible for medical professionals to go against these policies in order to fulfill their duties (Middleton 2018, 5).
It does not mean that the money will be used exactly as intended.
To ensure that people receive the services they need, policies should consider the financial resources available.
However, policies can sometimes delay the provision of services (Jepson 2018, 05).
Certain life-saving medicines, for example, may be prohibited simply because they do not have a license.
However, high prices can sometimes limit the availability of vital drugs.
The duty of pharmacists is to preserve life and ensure that medical services are rendered prudently.
Policies must be developed in relation to medical costs regulation.
Human values and ethics should be considered when allocating resources.
Unfriendly and rationing policies must be eliminated so that everyone has equal access to medical services (Salter & Micallef 2017, 12).
When resources are being distributed, morals must be considered.
Due to social strata and political affiliations certain members of society are marginalized and segregated, resulting in an uneven distribution of resources.
Adhering to medical and pharmaceutical ethics will ensure equal access to medical resources throughout the country (Hajjar, et al. 2017).
Policymakers must ensure equality is seen and experienced, with equal amounts of resources being given to everyone.
A policy approach that considers rights and the desire to meet the needs of the people should also be taken into consideration.
Finally, resources should be distributed in proportion to the local needs.
This will ensure that people with greater needs receive equal services.
These factors will ensure equal service delivery, thus meeting the National Medical Service’s goals.
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