TY - JOUR T1 - A patient-led NHS? JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 973 LP - 973 VL - 55 IS - 521 AU - Mike Fitzpatrick Y1 - 2005/12/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/55/521/973.abstract N2 - It is difficult to think of a greater absurdity than the concept of a ‘patient-led NHS’, the slogan that now guides government health policy in Britain.Patients tend to be ill, and have always therefore been provided with care and attention and relieved of the burdens of everyday life. They are not expected to play a leading role in their own treatment, never mind in leading the NHS. Patients also tend to lack the knowledge and expertise required to play a leading role in NHS administration, even in their own medical management. When patients cease to be patients they generally have little interest in leading the NHS, having jobs to do, families to look after, lives to lead.Those few patients who express a great interest in running the NHS tend … ER -