Nhs

[Pixxie7]

How many of you are surprised that the tories are offering some nhs services to the private company’s.

As above. The media’s use of the word ‘privatise’ is deliberately misleading. They want people to think privatised = paid for when in the NHS context privatised = services bought in by the NHS from private companies (because private companies can offer them cheaper than the NHS).

I work in the NHS - 100% agree with @Ginsterloo and @WorldsOnFire above.

@Polkagirls

However completely agree about the lack of innovation in SOME nhs trusts - we need more effective managers who can get things done.

In some areas they just cannot as there is simply not the expertise. The NHS works on the Trusts system and for some issues you just could not develop it for the trust in isolation.

Also more effective managers. Have you seen how the HNS recruits it low and middle managers? The job spec is written so any external applicant needs NHS experience unless in a very specialist area such as IT. This is basically a manipulation and ensures that most managers come from within the NHS. I was made aware of roles in project or programme management as one example. NHS experience was an essential requirement. Absolutely ludicrous. What other organisation does that and basically is a system that means that staff are drawn from someone who started as an admin assistant and keeps jumping from various NHS jobs and getting trained as such when they have no outside experience or other expertise. This is why so many NHS managers are so mediocre in what they do as they don't have that breadth of knowledge and experience.

Slow hand clap...A Tory bashing thread

I work as a respiratory specialist nurse for a private company that covers the UK. We visit different GP surgeries and run clinics and do teaching to nurses and GPs that need updating in respiratory care as well as larger education sessions at universities etc. We save the NHS millions each year by bringing patients in line with current guidelines that are set by the local commissioners and picking up inaccurate diagnosis where patients may be on the wrong costly drugs with no benefit.

Yes we receive money from the NHS to do this, but it is a fraction of what we save the NHS. And yes we receive money from drug companies who have to spend a proportion of their profit putting good back into the system and not back into their own company. We don't sell drugs, we follow the guidelines set by the NHS.

We also undertake pilot studies and conduct studies and research which has been used by the NHS to improve patient outcomes.

I adore our NHS but certainly from my point of view I can see the benefit of using private companies in instances like this. The NHS is a massive organisation that inevitably is being asked to do what it was not originally designed to do so no wonder it is struggling.

@Absa

A great example from someone in the real world

I don't see how a private company can provide patient contact health service while doing it cheaper than the NHS unless they either don't provide as much (so restricting treatment) or paying staff less (either in actual wages or stuff like worse pensions /sickness benefit) than the NHS do. Which long term won't be good for patients.

Not surprised at all. They've just been elected and can do what they like, no opposition. Thanks Corbyn, you utter, utter moron.

@VivaLeBeaver in my clinics I am actually face to face with the patient longer than any of the GP staff consultations (30-45 minutes) and can see them again as many times as needed. We work very efficiently by concentrating on one job (respiratory) and because we don't have massive overheads like the NHS (buildings and bills to pay for etc) costs are kept down. Because we are specialists all in the same area, training can be done in bulk and in house rather than the NHS having to pay for external courses for individual members of staff - the training I have had has cost 000's.

My company also doesn't pay for 6-12 months sick pay and for things like amazing maternity pay packages and as much A/L as the NHS do, which obviously cost the NHS millions every year. But we have different benefits that weigh that out. I also get paid the same or more than I did in the NHS.

The NHS can't offer a service like ours because it is broken into CCGs. So whilst I have the flexibility to travel anywhere in the country, the NHS wouldn't pay for this as I would be restricted to one location. It isn't cost effective for the NHS to employ me full time in one area, so instead my work load is spread over a few areas meaning a few days in each place each week.

If I didn't love my job or thought the pay/benefits were bad I would leave and easily get work in the NHS. But all I see is a fabulous service provided to the NHS at a fraction of the cost.

@hazeyjane and that's shocking, sorry for you and your son that you're being treated that way and having to fight for care which he needs and is entitled to. But this is one of the major problems in the NHS regardless of who is running some of the services; differences of care depending on where you live, the 'postcode lottery', and fighting against different PCT's priorities. I recieved terrible maternity care, my friend 15 miles away recieved exemplary care at every stage. A family member has permanent nerve damage following neglectigent actions in hospital, another family member recieved excellent care when battling cancer; faultless. It should be equal for everyone no matter where you live, I don't think this is new or something that can be blamed on companies. However please complain, they will have KPIs and negative feedback quite rightly affects these for them.