Can you explain why the UK has the worst cancer survival rates in the developed world? Can you explain why health insurance is a fundamental part of every successful health care system? Can you explain why the tiresome drones who refuse to acknowledge the myriad failures of the NHS have nothing to say but evil Tories? Two weeks from appointment to MRI in the functioning parts of the world. How long for a UK patient to see a GP?
Sorry @BovaryX I could not reply to your questions above until now. Firstly in answer to question why the UK has the worst cancer survival rates in the developed world? I will quote you this:
“Analysis of 2014 figures further showed that while the UK spent 9.1% of its GDP on healthcare in 2014, the European average was 10.1%. Looking specifically at cancer spending, compared to countries including France, Denmark, Austria and Ireland, the UK spent less on cancer per person, with Germany spending almost twice as much per head. That investment covers everything: that is, from diagnosis through to surgery, radiotherapy, medicines are obviously included in that – but so is everything else,” said Torbett. “It is not particularly surprising that, if there is significant under-investment, the UK isn’t seeing the scale and speed of benefits that are seen in some of these other European countries.” So less spending on NHS is definitely a significant factor although I am sure there other factors involved. Doesn’t mean switching the whole model is necessary but addressing areas that need improvement.
I have already pointed out to you that healthcare tourism for want of a better word is a v small part of the budget and as such is not an important issue in my view. Also bear in mind if you wanted more oversight in this area millions would have to be paid on implementing the infrastructure to facilitate this especially as we don’t have ID cards in this country which would remain an issue regardless of what model we had. It would take a long time to recoup the investment.
As to the NHS being the only model of its kind in the world, so? Until it gets adequate funding it makes it hard to compare its problems to other models that I view as operating well. You have not answered would you be against the UK adopting the American healthcare system, I will take your silence as a yes over the NHS. I think the US model would be vastly worse than the NHS overall and would not describe it a superior healthcare system when so many are left with nothing and even the insured can be bankrupted. Sure those who can afford top notch private healthcare can get excellent care in the US but it’s terrible for a lot of the population. Also if top of the range healthcare is what you are after you can pay for it here privately.
NHS may have its problems but i think unlike you there are worse alternatives and I do believe the Tories are taking us down a path to a system similar to the American model which I will explain why I fear is where we are heading for if we keep voting Tories in.
I will copy and paste what I wrote elsewhere on mumsnet to you for the rest of my reply. PFI under Blair’s govt turned out to be costly and a big mistake but does not preclude that the Condem and subsequent Conservative govt gave the smallest annual increases to NHS funding, 1.1% and 2.3% respectively, between 2010 and 2018 since the inception of the NHS 75 years ago. Theresa May in 2018 and then this govt under Johnson pledged an annual 3.6% increase to the NHS budget. The Institute of Fiscal Studies though said that increases of at least 4% a year on average are needed in order to meet the NHS’s needs and see any improvement in its services.
The privatisation of the NHS began slowly in the mid 80s with Thatcher, PFI under Blair was a costly mess and many experts in this area have shared they believe ramped up privatisation is embedded in the Condem coalition’s 2012 Health Care Act.
To the private sector, the NHS' £120 billion annual budget is a bottomless treasure chest which they would love to get even more a slice of. Quoting from journalist Sonia Poulton from an article in 2013 a year after the 2012 Health and Social Care Act was passed: ‘According to figures compiled by Social Investigations, an independent research organisation, 64 MPs have financial links with companies involved in private healthcare. Of them 52 are Conservative, nine are Labour and three are Lib Dem. There are also 142 lords with interests.
I think the NHS is even less safe from private for profit health insurers than ever before and do not agree with the view that the NHS is not at risk under this govt and the previous two from continuing to slowly move towards switching to a model more in common with the expensive, unjust US healthcare for profit system. People mention some of the European healthcare models as another possibility but Conservatives show no interest in looking at other European models. Also when countries whose models are often admired such as France, Germany, Spain etc spend a larger % of GDP on healthcare than the UK there is the question it’s not their models are necessarily better but more % of the GDP is spent on it. The Labour Party under Corbyn and I don’t expect will be any different under Starmer don’t discuss other European models but I trust they are willing to spend more on the NHS and bring spending in line with the aforementioned European models. Also they will spend more on social care which cuts by govt has added a further strain to the NHS. Yours, tiresome drone who happily admits I do not support Tory policies including on healthcare (and most others).