To think its time to reform the NHS

[ScreamingLadySutch]

There was a brilliant post on a dog who is telling H there is something in his abdomen, but I didn't want to derail it.

But someone talked about access to the GP: "Good luck. We get the Spanish Inquisition from the surgery receptionist whenever we try and book appointments. You could tell them you have blood dripping from your arse and they'd still be reluctant to give you an appointment. I'd love to see how they'd respond to "my dog keeps sniffing me"."

• which is why the NHS needs to be reformed. The NHS is a socialist construct. Therefore, the provider 'decides' which supplicating peasant is worthy. That is what socialism does (The State will Decide), and it doesn't work!

If the provider is linked to the consumer, then the whole system gets more responsive. In capitalism, if a service is not provided, the provider doesn't get paid. Its forced altruism.

I don't know why the British treat the NHS like a religion (Do Not Question God!!!). It is complete brainwashing. Reforming the NHS to create this link does not mean privatisation (I was hospitalised in Germany and the whole thing from X-rays to overnight stay cost me Eu37 - and they don't have the NHS structure). Nobody longs for the days when there were waiting lists for telephone lines before BT, do they.

Belgium Healthcare is very good, it’s true. It costs individuals more than people in the U.K. pay per capita and if you’re homeless, for example, you’re ineligible. NHS doesn’t have that failing.

Countries currently working through DH and FCO to emulate the best of our NHS include UAE and South Africa.

Efficient yes if you look at outcomes compared to spending. There is wastage but most expensive issues are around such as collected but unused prescription drugs, wasted appointments, PFIs, underinvestment resulting in appalling estates that are no longer fit for purpose and which haemorrhage money and diminishing working conditions making the NHS lose well qualified staff and become reliant on agency staff at greater expense.

My views deserve as much of an airing as anyone else's, this is an open forum.

Emulating the best of the NHS is admirable, but please don't import the attitude. Of all the NHS attributes I loathe, obese nurses lecturing me about lifestyle choices is a particular irritation.

France so interesting. It’s generally very good but according to the Euro health consumer index, the tendency of the French healthcare system is to create a diagnosis for many conditions that many not need to be medicalised. That means patients within the system tend to receive more medication that may be unnecessary when compared to other systems of healthcare around the world.
There are also often long delays and taxation is much higher to pay for it. Some real anomalies too - abortion is free but contraception isn’t. Not exactly the ideal way around, is it?

Yes I think that it might be good idea, maybe keeping your thoughts to yourself as you go.

Seconded!

And that vile disablist outdated eugenics bollocks has been reported too. Wtf!

Then I looked at the username...

Sadly these aren't their only bigoted views

SnuggyBuggy I'd far rather money was spent on decent IT systems that are designed to suit what's actually needed and localised administration than bloated chief execs!

"Moving to this way of working without consideration for situations like this is causing a lot of problems that disproportionately affect certain groups." Exactly - mainly the very people less capable of advocating for their rights. But then that's the tories all over!

We've seen the same problems as a result of people rarely being able to get an appointment with the same GP 2 appointments in a row! I have one GP in my surgery who I like and is fairly good (or at least not as bad as many) but when I have to deal with any of the others, even if I've had appointments with them before I often have to repeat much of my medical history in order that they can come close to the right dx/treatment - and don't get me started on having to list and DEFEND my meds allergies repeatedly. "No I DON'T mean I just don't like that drug I DO mean I'm actually allergic to it - there's notes of my reactions to it IN my records!" 😡

XingMing
My views deserve as much of an airing as anyone else's, this is an open forum

You are right, and I am sorry for saying your views shouldn't be heard, I don't believe in censorship, and hope your comments aren't deleted. I believe your comments to be abhorrent, and hope that others can see how disgusting they are.

With regards to vulnerable patients and the NHS, there has been a history of failings, with dreadful consequences. I hope that things are changing as a result of recent reviews. I know that one of the hospitals where my ds receives care has instigated a good system, with a learning disability liason, and a hospital passport system. In the procedures he has had there, and the emergency situation we had last year, the system worked brilliantly. I hope it is a set up that is rolled out everywhere.

The title of this thread made me angry. I am teetering on the edge of leaving the NHS because I worry it is failing me, but I also think there are huge misconceptions about the NHS. It is so much more complicated than people think, sadly, politics has a huge impact too.

@scaryteacher
How much is it for say an Xray of a foot hand in Belgium. Is co pay health insurance, if so how much per month?
I would love to know how other countries do it.

Ds goes to a children’s hospital which has a liaison nurse, I don’t know how long she has been in post as we were only informed recently but so far she has really helped with things like a quiet place in the waiting room

@PrincessTigerLily

I can't speak for the Belgian system, but here are some figures from France.

DH injured his knee skiing in Feb. He needed to get an X-Ray (55 euros up front), and various painkillers / anti-inflammatories from the pharmacy (about 4 euros up front) plus a support for his knee (37 euros up front).

The X-rays were fully reimbursed, by the Social Security and the mutuelle.
The pharmacy meds were fully reimbursed.
The support was reimbursed partially (21,88 euros) so he paid out 18 euros for that.

The mutuelle (top-up health insurance) is provided through DHs work - most employers of any size will provide a good mutuelle for their staff. Plus - this being France - offshoots of unions will provide low cost mutuelles for people working in various sectors. There's usually a mutuelle for you somewhere, including low earners. The monthly premium (about 150 euros) comes straight out of DH salary so we don't even see it.

That's about £1,500a year. Seems good value for money.

@Princess Apologies - this went into my Spam file, so didn't see you'd @ me.

We have private health insurance via dh's employer, and we get 100% back for anyhting to do with his Type 2, and my autoimmune disease. I think a scan last year was about €150, which we got 90% back on.

I should get the bill for my blood test next week - usually about €130.

Our health insurance is about €500 per month, but it is a Rolls Royce of a policy, and given the cost of dh's meds for his Type 2, it is worth it. He had a dental implant last week, total cost in excess of €1600...90% covered.

As someone pointed out previously,, it is a misconception to say that the NHS is free...it may not be charged at point of use, but we all pay, one way or the other.

I needed to take ds to see a cardiologist last week, for a two yearly check up. I rang, expecting to wait 3 weeks - got seen within 5 days. It is far more efficient here than the NHS; I can book to see the GP on line. My blood results are back the next day, and a copy is delivered to me at home...I don't have to fight a GPs receptionist to see what my platelets are doing.

Belgium is about preventative medicine as well, as opposed to the 'cure' of the NHS. I'm not a great fan of much that they do here, but the health care is superb.

This is assuming we’d go for a European system and not a US system.

My brother and his wife paid $1500 a MONTH for their healthcare. And there were so many rules. You had to choose from a proscribed list of doctors and hospitals.

My sister, who also lives in the US, had two different cancers and has had to pay over $400,000 dollars in co-pays.

The NHS does need some reform- in the form of more money, more equipment, more doctors and nurses. It also needs people with and agenda and a mate with a private health company to stop running it down in the press (basically every Conservative MP).

Let's be realistic the NHS is bankrupting the country, too many people not enough resources...Story all over really.

Increase funding into social care
Charge for missed appointments
IVF, cosmetic procedures only done in special circumstances
GP surgeries open later and over the weekend to free up A and E
Pharmacies have more involvement then they already do

I swear some of these threads are started by Boris's and co's henchmen (and women).

Remember prescription charges? They started at 20p: a Trojan horse.