Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Campaign to keep NHS in public ownership
I hope this is the right forum to air this. There's a Trade Bill in parliament, apparently, which still enables privatisation of the NHS by overseas investors.
Today I received an email from the campaign against this. I hope it's acceptable for me put the link here:
https://weownit.org.uk/protect-our-nhs-trade-deals-write-your-local...
They are asking people to write to their local newspaper, but I thought Harringay Online is the obvious forum.
I read the other day that all the conservatives in parliament voted against a pay rise for nurses last time this came up. So I don't think I want them having the power to sell off the NHS.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Geraldine on
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I am not sure whether this is relevant but I would campaign that those who can afford to do so should pay. Free health care should be provided only to the poor and needy. In other words, it should be means tested. If they can do it for TV licences, how much more important is our health?
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Permalink Reply by Peter on
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Surely those on higher incomes already pay and contribute more proportionally through taxation?
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I take that point. It's because I have experienced such a system in Hong Kong. Everyone whatever their tax status would, if they wanted to use a public hospital, pay around £10 for each appointment and those on benefit don't pay. Higher income earners probably opt for private treatment anyway which leaves the public service for lower and middle income people. The point is that what seems like a small amount of money would really mount up and benefit the NHS enormously.
The following figures may not be quite up-to-date but that's the general system:
https://www.justlanded.com/english/Hong-Kong/Articles/Health/Hong-K...
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That's very interesting!
I, for one, could live with paying something like £10 per consultation or visit. There is something similar in place in Germany. I would also be happy (as, according to a survey last year or so, a majority of us would be) to pay more tax, if I was certain it went to the NHS.
I would worry that a very overt distinction between private and general might deplete the public service, especially if pay in the private sector is better (as may have happened in the education system).
For what it's worth, I grew up in Switzerland, where private health insurance is cumpulsory (you choose between competing insurance companies), and you then pay 10% of any consultation, hospital stay, treatment, prescription etc..
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To an extent, it has happened in Hong Kong that the public service has been depleted, but that has only happened recently with an influx of immigration producing an overload. In the event of a mishap at a private hospital, such as a difficult birth, there would be immediate transfer to a public hospital because of better equipment and perceived better expertise to deal with emergencies.
The UK National Health Service was right for its time but the world has changed since 1948. Parts of the NHS are beyond repair. I believe the entire system needs to be re-thought after studying health care systems in other countries such as Germany and Switzerland.
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Permalink Reply by maggie on
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I don't agree. I feel strongly that the principle of health care being free at the point of need is as necessary today as ever.
I worked in the NHS all my working life and witnessed the distortion that paying for health produced. Wether it was pay beds when we were expected to prioritise those paying, or where going private meant going higher up the waiting list and getting attention or operations sooner than someone needing it more urgently.
Introducing payment at the point of need, even a 'small' amount such as £10 means that some people will not be able to pay or will feel they have to pay when they can't afford it particularly when they have multiple medical needs. It means that if you are really unfortunate to be ill a lot you end up paying more when you are already at a disadvantage. The least able pay the most.
Introducing payments produces two tiers of health and systems and certainly using insurance schemes have proved an expensive way of delivering health and extremely inefficient.
Part of the problem with the present NHS is that it has not been properly funded in the past and then subject to swinging cuts; the 2010 Health and Social Care Bill fragmented the service and parts have been privatised by stealth, it is no longer a national unitary system which has made organising a national response all the more difficult.
The NHS needs to be strengthened, it needs to be properly funded on a long term basis out of our taxes, the people working in it need to be supported during their training and paid properly for the work that they do.
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I agree with everything Maggie said... Our Health Service should remain free.. I hope after this terrible experience of Covid the Government will begin to pay our Health Care staff the salaries they deserve.
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All governments praise our health and emergency services in times of crisis, ie when they are desperately needed.
When that crisis has passed the services are forgotten/taken for granted, penalised and cut back.
Hypocrites !
Most members of public, I would suggest, lack understanding of working conditions in health/emergency services, the unsocial long working hours, lack of respect, expectations, treatment, etc.
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Permalink Reply by Bob Ruggles on
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I find it interesting that the NHS is being Sold Off
My understanding is that additional Services are being used in Areas where NHS can not enlarge their Services
And are using Private companies to carry out Services on behalf of the NHS . Such as In Health who operate out of many Large Doctor / Practise Services , in the areas
Main issue with current NHS is that it is run in so many different Health Authorities. With so many Senior Executives are silly Salaries. competing against other Health Authorities for supplies and Staff
Accepting that NHS should have better pay & conditions. But because of the large numbers in NHS Even the smallest pay rises cost the Service Billions
Not forgetting that it has to service Multi thousands that have never contributed to the Service
Believe it needs sorting before allocating much needed increases in funding
Not forgetting that this Government has cleared its outstand Debt's and put Billions more in for current Virus
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Permalink Reply by Neil on
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Beware old scare stories from the campaign group you keep secret. Socialist Worker? This scare story has been put by the Labour Party for 70 years and it has not come true.
The NHS has never been so well funded as under the Conservatives who also boost the economy to provide the tax revenues to pay for it. As was the case before Covid 19.
GPs, doctors and nurses have never been paid as well as they are now. Most GP doctors have not worked for two months as their surgeries are closed and they still get their £100,000 salaries. Some GPs have switched to help fight Covid 19.
I'll remind you that Boris and his government ministers have all promised to defend and boost the NHS. The economy would have crashed under a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn.
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Funding of Public Services
Needs people to pay Taxes and service Charges
If the number living in a Country do not pay such taxes there will be shortfalls in funding
Especially in a Country where the Population is growing so Fast and people are living in areas where Services are not able to cope with the numbers
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