AIBU to be terrified Trump will destroy NHS - and to wonder what to do about it

[impossible]

Just that. I feel really fearful that the NHS will up for grabs in any US/UK trade deal and I have no trust in Trump to protect it. Do you feel the same and what can we do?

Start saving bloody hard, because fully private health insurance will be multiple thousands a month for a family.

Put pressure on your MP to back a second referendum, and most importantly vote remain if it happens.

Never, ever EVER vote Tory.

*Trump is an easy target. Easier than looking at the mess our own people created and continue to go through with.

He's not the problem here, folks.*

This with bells on.

Do we want more reliable cost effective companies because many that are involved standards are poor

I don’t know about you but when my local NHS hospital privatised the cleaning services we couldn’t trust the company to mop maternity wards once a day or to stop stealing stationary from our desks.

And those are simple things every mortal can appreciate, go figure what do they do with more complex stuff.

And yes, there is a level of entitlement, but so far we are a country who, unlike the US, are happy to met you die of a tooth abscess or bleed to death in reception if you can’t prove you have medical insurance.

Are NOT happy to let you ...

Well, hopefully Leave voters will finally wake up to what they voted for.

Farage, funded by Banks - an insurance multi-millionaire - JRM, Johnson, Gove, Trump, Putin etc. Did anyone really believe these people had the interests of the average person at heart?

Apathy and ignorance got us to this point.

I don’t think even the stupidest Tories (Paddington Stare at you, Boris) would sell off the NHS wholesale, especially to the Orange Blimp. The nation wouldn’t stand for it

Then you’re incredibly naive.

They’ll do it unless we make a shed load of noise about it.

Write to your MPs, especially if they’re Tory.

Tories care about being in power above all. They’ll sell the NHS unless we tell them in writing that they’ll lose votes.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/242300?fbclid=IwAR14zRI3FTjTmTI2iMe7oAIBc3Lt7BG3l5RkC6IZ04uCc7oQLfmMPSzHyHc

Sign this!

@Conks

Privatisation actually started under the Tories

Although why does it even fucking matter?? You’re just making a deflection from the position we are currently in. Right now. Letting the current government off the hook.

signed Artnan thanks for linking. There is also a petition started yesterday on change.org www.change.org/p/donald-trump-hands-off-our-nhs which is already working it;s way towards 250 000 signatures. It only takes a second to sign it. If you;re genuinely worried (and you should be) please sign and share. The tory leadership contestants are already making noises about how it won't be up for grabs under them - they know what a disaster for votes it would be if they sold it off - make sure they get the message really loud and clear.

As for privatisation, I am fine with selling healthcare off IF it means we get a decent social insurance system as in other European countries.

Britain's track record with privitisation suggests it won't be "decent". See the probation service for details.

The misguided insistence that nothing at all needs changing in the NHS and that it should just tick along as it has done for years wasting money and resources on gargantuan proportions will be the ultimate downfall of it, rather than a couple of American companies being able to tender for contracts within the NHS, like British and EU countries currently do.

The government have undermined it for years and years, Trump is just a convenient scapegoat

Yep, privatisation started a long time ago when the Conservatives brought in the private finance act in 1992 which forced the NHS to put in-house services out to tender. It wasn't just non-clinical services that were affected though. I know of several clinical service providers that were formed when entire departments resigned en masse and offered their services back privately. Labour continued with this policy, but it was the Conservatives who started it and have continued to run it into the ground ever since.

rather than a couple of American companies being able to tender for contracts within the NHS, like British and EU countries currently do.

How do you know this is all that will happen? It'll likely lead to a slippery slope, sold off piece by piece.

Trump is just a convenient scapegoat

No, its part of process were public services are run down, undermined and ultimately sold off because there is "no other alternative".

I hope/think it will be ok. Massive vote loser to trade away the NHS.

This is the thin end of the wedge. It feels to me like the biggest nations in the world are circling, just waiting for us to leave the EU before they swoop down and strip us bare. Frankly, I’m terrified.

Whilst Trump is not the person who needs to the review the UK NHS it does need a review - urgently!

Its not a holy grail. I have spent over 30 years as a supplier to government and the waste and entitlement is shocking. They waste so much money having endless meetings about very little.

In my view we need to stop trying to be PC and support/fund everyone regardless. People need to take responsibility for their own lives being that eating too much, smoking or not bothering to cancel an GP appointment!

This is spot on imho

It's the Brexiteers in our Government. The likes of Farage and his rich sponsors and backers such as Aaron Banks (whose business is insurance and will have lots to gain from selling off the NHS) who are to blame . Trump just wants to exploit our weakness' and put America ( his rich asset stripping mates ) first.
The NHS will go but I bet taxes won't come down.

Brexit truly is the gift that keeps on taking !

The NHS isn't sustainable anyway. It's a victim of it's own success.

Trump has already said the NHS is NOT on the table.

The NHS is already partially private.

For it to go totally private will take decades.

MN loves a good scaremongering thread don't they?

In my view we need to stop trying to be PC and support/fund everyone regardless. People need to take responsibility for their own lives being that eating too much, smoking or not bothering to cancel an GP appointment!

Who should we fund? Those that can pay? If I pay taxes all my life, lose my job and then require medical assistance due to hereditary illness should I "take responsibility?"

For it to go totally private will take decades.

Oh thats ok then - I'll tell the DC's the good news!

Unlike the left who are ambivalent as to whether or not they are in power

The Tories are much more disciplined about remaining in power.

The NHS isn't sustainable anyway. It's a victim of it's own success

Actually it is. It’s just been chronically underfunded. More money needs to go into the NHS because the population is unhealthy and older.

Also, associated services such as social care and early years support have been cut which puts more pressure on the NHS....

If the government invested in prevention, local economies and post-treatment care then the nhs wouldn’t be in quite so much trouble. But the government is so short sighted.

It cuts and the NHS is left to pick up the symptoms.

Trump has already said the NHS is NOT on the table

Hahahahahaha

The NHS is already partially private

Which isn’t a good thing.