NHS now saying stuff is free.

You sound more pompous with each post. The public have paid a small contribution in most cases towards their treatment, the majority will have paid in nothing like the amount they get back.

I think that's irrelevant. The use of the word "free" is disingenuous. It is not free and should not be portrayed as free.

Do you think there's a person in the whole country who doesn't know that the NHS is paid for from tax and borrowing and that "free" therefore can only mean "free at point of use" ?

For starters, have you contacted the Consultant's office? The Consultant might have some leverage with your GP or be able to suggest an alternative.

I do, however, sympathise and had a similar experience. My Rheumatologist recommended a drug for my osteoporosis after five rounds of the first line infusion and a couple more broken bones, yet whilst my dexa score warranted it, I didn't meet the threshold, according to Nice guidance, at that time due to my age. Fortunately I was able to pay the £2400 per annum for two years and it was effective.

Wow you actually got a letter? I got a text reminder for mine. Thankfully I was available and it was within walking distance.

Results came in 2 weeks.

Maybe because they are using some private hospitals to help with waiting lists, some people are getting confused. Last year my mum was sent by the NHS to a Spire hospital as they could see her quicker.

The problem is that if the UK started charging for thus type of NHS services, it would likely still not help the public purse because we'd manage to turn it into an extremely complex means tested system that cost more to administer than it raised.

We'd also likely fail to accurately determine who can and cannot pay so you'd have people with disposable income not paying and people having to pay but struggling to afford even relatively modest fees, and we'd also probably do it using an IT system that doesn't work properly despite us paying a private sector contractor billions to set it up and maintain.

Threads like these always make me wonder if there are any countries that do manage to run public services that work efficiently, not overly bureaucratic etc for service users, its employees and taxpayers? Basically is there a 'right' way to do it and is anybody actually doing it that way?

Deoends on how you read and interperet this letter. Not very well written For the NHS to point out that thusctest s free sounds confusing snd a bit patronising tbh.

I think it may also send the opposite message to some people.That the test may be free but you have to oay for the treatment.

NHS also has many small private medical services providing tests etc
They work on a conveyor belt paid by patient numbers basis

Some are not that profesional.in my exoerience. It is the sorr of letter l would expect from one of them.

i don’t think you should read too much into free mammograms, but I was shocked to have an nhs hospital consultant say I needed certain meds and wrote a request to my gp and the gp surgery refused the medication but said I could pay £300 per month for it. I now have had a wasted consultant appointment, no meds, I’m in pain and don’t know what to do.

I agree with you it isn’t free but maybe they are trying to ensure everyone attends and it’s removing a perceived barrier that some people might think they need to pay?
On another note I live in a difference country and as a resident also receive ‘free’ healthcare as do my husband and children. My son needed surgery at 2 months old and when we left the hospital we had to pay a minor fee for the surgery and 2 nights stay in hospital (£57 in total)
When we left we received an itemised bill for every single thing he received (each medication, treatment, blood transfusion, 1 x night in NICU, 1 x night in standard room, etc) and these showed the exact price (going into the thousands for the total) and the cost to us - 0
if the NHS did this for every treatment and appointment I can’t help but think more people might think twice about wasting NHS time or turning up to a&e for a stubbed toe or cough!

Why are you or others cringing? A very highly paid individual, a clinician at directorate level, signed a letter claiming an NHS service was free. It is not. The NHS is funded by the people for the people and to misrepresent that is heinous in my opinion and serves only the gratitude narrative and that narrative feeds into the provision of sub-optimal services. It is a narrative that has provided Donna Ockenden with a very heavy workload.

Breast screening is an agreed preventative initiative and it is provided under the NHS contract as a service for which the public have paid, via taxation. It is not provided as a favour.

You have absolutely no idea about the contributions other posters make.

I have two chronic conditions, one the NHS failed to diagnose and it was diagnosed and treated surgically, privately 30 odd uears ago. The other is osteoporosis, severe, and I have a superb rheumatologist who does no private work. I wish she did because the services around her are grim.

We need a European co-pay system, and quickly. If the NHS continues, I'd quite like every patient to have a personal benefit statement that notes cost of everything provided by the NHS and cost of contributions through taxation.

If the NHS is committed to EDI its people need to stop speakimg to stop speaking to everyone ad though they are super dim.. Equality means adjusting things, including communication, in order to meet the needs of all.

TheyGrewUp · Today 11:37
I agree with this. My recent invitation for a breast screening contained the same language. I wrote to the sender and politely noted that the screening service was not free but free at the point of delivery having been centrally funded by taxation. I asked if they would reconsider the language used. I didn't get a reply

Goodness, how embarrassing. I'm cringing. You actually thought you'd get a reply, did you? Because you wrote politely. I just don't know where to begin......

Completely agree. 53% of households are net recipients according to the ONS. So only 47% of us contribute. When you stop working, it's likely you'll be a recipient, even if you are a contributor at the moment.

https://backup.ons.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/07/Effects-of-taxes-and-benefits-on-UK-household-income-financial-year-ending-2022.pdf

I'm not surprised you didn't get a reply. No doubt your correspondence is still providing lots of hilarity at coffee breaks.

There is absolutely scope to change the appointment.

OP you're being ridiculous. Oh and all those taxes you pay won't touch the sides of what you get out of the system if you develop a chronic disease, have a serious accident requiring ITU, or a heart attack, cancer or a multitude of things that people "get for free".

So what if it's out of the way frankly. It's cheaper to set things up, out of the way. You know, all those taxes you pay....well you want them to be as low as possible don't you....

God help us all, if the expectation is like this, we'll all be relying on BUPA in 10 years and trust me, you won't be happy.

Idiot… be greatful they are safeguarding your life…

"My NHS contributions have paid for this many times over"

Cobblers. There is no such thing as 'NHS contributions'.

They have probably started using the word 'free' to try and encourage more people to take up the opportunity, in an attempt to save more lives by finding breast cancer early.

So the appointment isn't conveniently local to you. Either go or don't go - I don't give a shit.

HTH

I'm not sure whether you are saying that contributions to the NHS via taxation will never cover the cost of NHS care over an entire lifetime or that contributions will exceed what people take out over a life time.

Without knowing the personal circumstances of every poster, you cannot possibly say.

It’s not really a big deal is it and I’m sure your contributions haven’t touched the sides of the costs of your NHS healthcare over the whole of your life so that’s a moot point.

Exactly this

@MixMaxChop i am with you on this too. We are meant to bow and scrape, do what we are told and question nothing.

I get the fear that it is the thin end of the wedge for a private supplier to deliver this service on behalf of the NHS, but I get a sight better service from Specsavers than I ever had from the NHS.

I got a text this morning telling me I'm due a 3 year check free, at which I'll get replacement aids if mine are now out of date.

Under the NHS in the same region my aids were 5 years old without a check before I accidentally found out I had been entitled to new ones at 4 years max.

By the by, in my area you do not need a GP referral. A year ago my DH walked into Specsavers and was tested and given aids on the NHS.

Yes, that’s my view as well. I’ve never seen it described as free here (Merseyside) but ours are done at an NHS hospital.

I would interpret this as an attempt to make it clear to women who might be worried that there is no charge.

That’s absolutely right @Imdunfer but now that hearing assessments are being offered privately many people don’t understand that if your GP refers you to the NHS provider then you will get both hearing aids and batteries foc. Mine were provided by the NHS but a lot of people I know accepted the free hearing test from their optician and have had to fund it.

Thin edge of the wedge?

https://www.bupa.co.uk/health/health-assessments/breast-health

£350 if you prefer

Strange post. Be thankful for healthcare free at the point of delivery
https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/3d-mammogram#cost-without-insurance

And you may like to watch the film Nye:

Source: YouTube

That's a 1 min clip