How do other countries manage, they don’t have people dying in the streets, there will always be care for those who can’t pay, but there are some extremely highly paid people here that could afford to pay, so freeing up care for those who can’t.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
The Belgian and French health systems work because they are well managed. Also, you have to pay an initial fee for a consultation, prescriptions etc. It's mostly refundable thru an automated system but it does concentrate people's minds on not going to A&E, for example, because they have a cold. My recent toe x-rays cost me a princely 6€ for 3 pics.
I think many governments tax the lower paid more disproportionately because they're easy to target thru PAYE and don't usually work in positions of influence that affect government policy.
As for grills on windows - in sunnier climes people like to leave windows open which is clearly asking for opportunist theft as well as potential danger for small people falling out so houses have grills or shutters built in.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Unless we as a society are prepared,to pay a higher proportion of our national income to fund our public services then there will as a matter of course be rationing .......... to do otherwise is an impossibility.
At present, because previous governments of all hues were not prepared to make the financial investment to build the new hospitals that were necessary, they were built by Private Finance Initiatives ... the NHS is now paying vast sums over to the companies that built the hospitals in what is nothing more than rent ... this costs us more than it cost to build them in the first place .... money that should be spent on the day to day costs of making us well is going to wealthy financial institutions.
Last edited: 06 January 2018 12:41:01
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes, I do believe that we are dishonest, and that we treat conditions and people where there is no chance of survival.
We have choices, that IMO need to be taken as a society: if we want to treat everybody, with every condition, then we are going to have to pay a lot more money.
We also, IMO need to be a lot more honest. A lot of treatments that are given, provide no benefit, but it is often a lot easier to provide the treatment, than to have to admit, that there is nothing we can do.
Sorry I seem to be rambling here.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
Posts
How do other countries manage, they don’t have people dying in the streets, there will always be care for those who can’t pay, but there are some extremely highly paid people here that could afford to pay, so freeing up care for those who can’t.
Doghouse Riley
An excellent strategy ; looks like you've already sensibly adopted the 'fortress-mentality' I mentioned earlier !
The Belgian and French health systems work because they are well managed. Also, you have to pay an initial fee for a consultation, prescriptions etc. It's mostly refundable thru an automated system but it does concentrate people's minds on not going to A&E, for example, because they have a cold. My recent toe x-rays cost me a princely 6€ for 3 pics.
I think many governments tax the lower paid more disproportionately because they're easy to target thru PAYE and don't usually work in positions of influence that affect government policy.
As for grills on windows - in sunnier climes people like to leave windows open which is clearly asking for opportunist theft as well as potential danger for small people falling out so houses have grills or shutters built in.
Security roller shutter on back door, metal grill on one window and alarm system all installed following a break in over thirty years ago.
As a doctor, I was very fortunate to work in 3 completely different systems: USA, Holland and the NHS.
USA, great if you are rich, otherwise worse than many third world countries.
Holland, probably the best, but a very high rate of income tax, and compulsory extra health insurance, once earning above a certain amount.
NHS, achieves an incredible amount, especially considering the amount it is funded.
It cannot continue to provide universal health care, unless we are prepared to pay a lot more money.
IMO, the much bigger question, is, should we really be continuing to treat all the conditions, in patients of all ages, that we do.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Unless we as a society are prepared,to pay a higher proportion of our national income to fund our public services then there will as a matter of course be rationing .......... to do otherwise is an impossibility.
At present, because previous governments of all hues were not prepared to make the financial investment to build the new hospitals that were necessary, they were built by Private Finance Initiatives ... the NHS is now paying vast sums over to the companies that built the hospitals in what is nothing more than rent ... this costs us more than it cost to build them in the first place .... money that should be spent on the day to day costs of making us well is going to wealthy financial institutions.
Last edited: 06 January 2018 12:41:01
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes, I do believe that we are dishonest, and that we treat conditions and people where there is no chance of survival.
We have choices, that IMO need to be taken as a society: if we want to treat everybody, with every condition, then we are going to have to pay a lot more money.
We also, IMO need to be a lot more honest. A lot of treatments that are given, provide no benefit, but it is often a lot easier to provide the treatment, than to have to admit, that there is nothing we can do.
Sorry I seem to be rambling here.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border