BPX026: In Sickness and in National Health

[Neon Ignition]

Considered to be a source of great national pride for many, the NHS and its staff have worked tirelessly for decades providing a national, free at the point of contact service through the births, lives and deaths of generation of british citizens. It's a service and a concept that has been equally envied and bemoaned by other nations as each country tries to come to terms with the great health burden that growing populaces place upon public and privatised services.

The NHS has long since stood at something of a crossroads. Two main political parties lead the country with one more in favour of the service than the other and questions regularly coming up as to the long term viability of the service if it continues to be strained by a growing number of patients and a falling staff retention rate.

Many sing the praises of their experiences with private care provision but such services cost good money that many would struggle to afford as the US health service shows.

In your view, is the NHS still a good thing and what does it need to survive?

Is it's time over or does it still represent the best ideal for any nation when it comes to taking care of the people's health?

[Asura]

In your view, is the NHS still a good thing and what does it need to survive?

Yes, and I will physically fight someone who tries to take it away.

[CMcK]

Yes, and I will physically fight someone who tries to take it away.

And I’ll be right next to you.

The NHS has its problems but is still a great institution. To save the NHS people need to be educated in looking after their own health more effectively so they don’t become a problem for the health service. So many unhealthy, unfit and overweight people all over the place these days. Problem is we live in a society where a lot of people have an over inflated sense of entitlement and expect the state to do everything for them. Don’t teach your kids to eat healthily or stop gawping at phones,tablets and Tv all day - that’s what the government is for.
For all I cringe at that narcissism of the young team these days at least all that healthy eating and gym time will hopefully keep them out of hospital.
And shops could help. Supermarkets, corner shops, petrol stations etc all put snack food front and centre tempting people.

Maybe some form of charge, like going to the dentist, for self inflicted problems like obesity related conditions, smoking and other substance abuse.

[Zaki]

Don't go to the doctor if you have a cold!

[dataDave]

Try living without it for six years. You'll realise how much you take it for granted.

[Colin]

I won’t even attempt to touch the politics of it. What I will say is that the people working in the NHS, specifically those on the front line deserve our unending support. They don’t receive the praise, support or wage they deserve for what they do. I very, very rarely seek medical help (like most Scotsmen my age) but on the rare occasion I do I’m very appreciative of the care I’ve received, for free, from people that care enough to try and make a difference.

[fishbowlhead]

Yes, and I will physically fight someone who tries to take it away.

You’ve never made more sense. I’m in.


The government is and will do everything they can to run it into the ground to make way for a US style system of paying for everything along with US pharma companies being installed to run them and bleed us and the country dry. It’s already started and we absolutely must not let this ever happen.

Anyone who tries to bring the NHS down should be dragged into the street and their teeth kicked out.

[CMcK]

The privatisation of the NHS via the back door is already happening. Companies like Serco are already firmly embedded in there.

[Neon Ignition]

Most of the time I've spent in hospital over the last five years has been due to either ill elderly relatives or the kids. It's been interesting to see how the experiences vary. Maternity Units, I mean, they've broadly nailed it, the service they deliver has been excellent which I know won't apply to every hospital but it's always been amongst the best example of experience we've had.

After that, it depends on what it relates to but it's a quick and sharp decline from there. I think I know enough about the system to be able to rationalise elements of it in a way you can clearly see many in there with you don't as they get frustrated but at the same time, man...

I'm on board with common argument that medical profession staff should be better funded and better paid, it's something that needs to be applied not just to the NHS but the care sector across the board as those aspects suddenly get much, much worse for those in the wider care sector too. However, before any funding increase was applied the NHS needs a huge reform.

I'm all for saving it, but I don't want money thrown at it as I don't believe under it's current form all that money would go where it should be.

[JazzFunk]

It all goes to managers, spindly people with floppy haircuts, glasses, weasels, besuited, who look jittery and uneasy around the lower-level staff who give them the prestige they don't deserve.

I see it EVERY day. But I'm not talking about it at length, I hear enough of it at work, I'm bobbing back outta this thread after dropping my turd of truth on the table.

[randombs]

Try living without it for six years. You'll realise how much you take it for granted.

I initially posted that I've been living without it for five years and been fine(although we haven't had any serious medical stuff like babies yet) but I didn't consider that I pay for health insurance.

I love the NHS. And even though I can comfortably pay for my medical stuff with insurance, it's not me who'd be in trouble if the NHS was to become privatised.

[Protocol Penguin]

IMO we should move to having a dedicated social insurance system for medical and social care, similar to Germany – it would help keep the funding sustainable in the longer term.

[Asura]

IMO we should move to having a dedicated social insurance system for medical and social care, similar to Germany – it would help keep the funding sustainable in the longer term.

Isn't that what we have? I mean it's called "National Insurance".

[Protocol Penguin]

It’s not the same, no. NI is basically a tax stream. However, it is similar in the fact that it involves deductions from your income/pay packet.

[fishbowlhead]

It’s not the same, no. NI is basically a tax stream. However, it is similar in the fact that it involves deductions from your income/pay packet.

That would just end up as another miss managed tax system ONTOP of the existing ones.

The nhs COULD be absolutely fine if it was run solely by doctors with a lifetime of experience, along with the the entire bulls**t middle management suits who are pointless little leaches on the teat of our taxes removed as well.

Pointless overspending when they should be looking for CHEAPER suppliers.

The list goes on.