[Misc] The NHS

[Sussex Nomad]

Is it time to get rid, bring in a firm that can run our health system? Or should we stick with politicians that use it like a political football whilst people die? We could make it private with systems in hand to make it a proper health institution, or we could leave it as a political football to kick around. I would personal;ly like to see it dismantled from politicians, because, at the end of the day it just seems to get worse and worse and worse. We still pay our NHS but put it in the hands of business, people we can trust to give us a service. Am I wishing too much or is business a bit too scary to hand our health to? I know it's a bastion of socialism, but are we now taking on too much?

 

[Triggaaar]

Is it time to get rid, bring in a firm that can run our health system? Or should we stick with politicians that use it like a political football whilst people die?

Even if you had a private company running it all, they'd still get the money and requirements from the government, so it would still be political, but with a private company making a massive profit at our expense. And of course in the years where their gambling went wrong, the taxpayers would bail them out as it would be too big to fail.

There could be a way to distance the running of it from the government (like the BofE) while still keeping it in the public sector.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Do you have nothing else to do with your life other than write drivel on NSC?

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Even if you had a private company running it all, they'd still get the money and requirements from the government, so it would still be political, but with a private company making a massive profit at our expense. And of course in the years where their gambling went wrong, the taxpayers would bail them out as it would be too big to fail.

There could be a way to distance the running of it from the government (like the BofE) while still keeping it in the public sector.

Much of it is privatised anyway. Why don't we just rid ourselves of politicians and make a proper go of it? This NHS under the Govt. is lost in the 1940s, they have no idea how to run, what is essentially, a business, people's health is a business, like it or hate it. Would we not be better off allowing experts to run it?

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Do you have nothing else to do with your life other than write drivel on NSC?

Much like you, no. And if a thread doesn't float yer boat, do one, easy really.

 

[Wardy's twin]

The NHS is like a patient who is in the hands of a surgeon who has no interest in or understanding of how to save the patient and indeed takes more pleasure by slicing off bits to justify his own ends i.e making the patient more sick .

 

[GT49er]

Is it time to get rid, bring in a firm that can run our health system? Or should we stick with politicians that use it like a political football whilst people die? We could make it private with systems in hand to make it a proper health institution, or we could leave it as a political football to kick around. I would personal;ly like to see it dismantled from politicians, because, at the end of the day it just seems to get worse and worse and worse. We still pay our NHS but put it in the hands of business, people we can trust to give us a service. Am I wishing too much or is business a bit too scary to hand our health to? I know it's a bastion of socialism, but are we now taking on too much?

It's putting large chunks of it (through PFI and use of agencies and contracting out) in the hands of business that has f**ked it up, and made it far more expensive than it should be. The poll questions are completely skewed in favour of privatisation. I'm not voting on those options.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

It's putting large chunks of it (through PFI and use of agencies and contracting out) in the hands of business that has f**ked it up, and made it far more expensive than it should be. The poll questions are completely skewed in favour of privatisation. I'm not voting on those options.

So, we all have opinions, what do you think, what does anyone think, we should do for the NHS?

 

[dazzer6666]

Like Carillion perhaps. Good plan.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Like Carillion perhaps. Good plan.

Carillion was never in the public sector, totally wrong argument.

 

[GT49er]

So, we all have opinions, what do you think, what does anyone think, we should do for the NHS?

Reduce the use of agency nurses for a start, and as for contracting out, start by bringing things like cleaning and catering back in house.

 

[albionfan37]

Privatise it if it goes the European way rather than the shockingly poor American system

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Reduce the use of agency nurses for a start, and as for contracting out, start by bringing things like cleaning and catering back in house.

What about losing around 2/3's of admin, which, at the end of the day throttles the NHS coffers, like everything Govt.

 

[GT49er]

Carillion was never in the public sector, totally wrong argument.

Never in the public sector, true - but it's not 'the wrong argument'. It is/was a public company, a plc, with shares bought and sold on the stock exchange. Exactly the sort of organisation that would apparently, according to some, make a jolly good job of running the NHS....................

 

[GT49er]

What about losing around 2/3's of admin, which, at the end of the day throttles the NHS coffers, like everything Govt.

Two thirds is too ambitious - some of it is actually needed! There is a lot that wouldn't be missed, though - a 20% cut is probably nearer the realistic mark (and yes, that would have included my old job in the NHS before I retired!)

 

[Triggaaar]

Much of it is privatised anyway. Why don't we just rid ourselves of politicians and make a proper go of it?

How do you do that? Who decides what budget the health service gets each year - who decides where the money goes, to new drugs, to research, to palliative care, to old people, young people, etc etc - it's our tax money, who decides what to do with it?

This NHS under the Govt. is lost in the 1940s, they have no idea how to run, what is essentially, a business, people's health is a business, like it or hate it. Would we not be better off allowing experts to run it?[/QUOTE]It's not completely run by politicians, it is basically run by so-called experts. The people who run the primary care trusts are the so-called experts you speak of.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Look how the NHS put the patient transport contract in Sussex out to Coperforma.
They royally fecked that up.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-42399635

Keep it as it is, we don't want to go the way as those Atlantic cousins!

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Two thirds is too ambitious - some of it is actually needed! There is a lot that wouldn't be missed, though - a 20% cut is probably nearer the realistic mark (and yes, that would have included my old job in the NHS before I retired!)

My girlfriend is an admin in the NHS, so I have a teeny bit of inside knowledge. I worked for the MoJ for four years so I know the machinations of the civil service. It is nothing about being a vital job and all about keeping employment figures up. This is why I am saying take it out of politicians hands, unemployment may go up, but the NHS at frontline would gain from it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The whole thing needs a rethink and needs properly costing and then funding. This latter point will mean higher NI though. In fact Id actually have a separate health NI payment.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

How do you do that? Who decides what budget the health service gets each year - who decides where the money goes, to new drugs, to research, to palliative care, to old people, young people, etc etc - it's our tax money, who decides what to do with it?

This NHS under the Govt. is lost in the 1940s, they have no idea how to run, what is essentially, a business, people's health is a business, like it or hate it. Would we not be better off allowing experts to run it? It's not completely run by politicians, it is basically run by so-called experts. The people who run the primary care trusts are the so-called experts you speak of.

Who decides on budgets and inventions in private businesses? I don't get your argument.