Would you pay an additional tax for the NHS?

[Whatisthis543]

I’m torn on this one, surely our taxes should cover a well funded NHS but it seems that they don’t...

Is that systematic I.e too much bureaucracy and poor allocation of resources (within the trusts and elsewhere) or is there genuinely not enough money with an ageing population and rapid growth?

We already do, it’s called National Insurance and it’s the primary source of NHS funding.

Almost all public sevices need more funding, some have had a 50% cut since 2010 yet are expected to do more and more.

Nope, throwing money at it will not fix a broken system. I would support a total overhaul of the current system though.

No. I really can't afford to pay any more tax. The tax I do pay is not spent efficiently and that should be rectified before more is demanded.

In Ireland they change a nominal fee for Doctors and A&E ( which is refunded if your condition is serious for treatment) there is no payment required for children retired or benefit recipients.

So much time is wasted on missed appointments I would thing this would be a good idea

We do need to change the model. It isn’t working and I would be happy to pay more, not through taxes though.

Charges for certain things, GP appointments with exceptions for certain people but we really do need to give some personal responsibility back to people as to their health.

@MaskingForIt

No, I don’t want to pay more tax into a broken system, but I would support a system like Canada or Switzerland has though. Or better still, a German system with insurance based on your income.

It’s impossible to discuss any kind of paid-for system without people getting hysterical and shrieking about people dying in the USA though, as most people can’t seem to get their thick little brains around the idea that it isn’t a binary choice.

I agree.

No.

I think the whole structure needs a rethink (not that any government would ever be brave enough to to attempt it) I'd like to see more about what a French model would look like.

I'd happily pay more for medical care, but I'm not sure the current NHS is fit for purpose

Absolutely not. I've worked for over a decade in the health service and in medical device sales... There's plenty of money in the NHS, the issue is the staggering amount of inefficiency and wastage of resources and hence money down the drain.

Rememeber that in April of this year, £13 BILLION of NHS debt was written off. Throwing more money at it will solve nothing. Get rid of the entitled, freeloading stick in the muds that are frightened of deviating from the status quo and useless managers that haven't a clue about efficiency.

True story: in my medical repping days, I actually had one NHS customer refuse a 20% discount on a product I was selling and they were already using! I wanted them to buy direct as the middleman was being a nightmare. The customer' s reason for refusal was allegedly because we could only deliver to stores and not to the ward (same building). It later transpired that they didn't want to file an extra 4 invoices a month and that they were pals with someone at the middleman organisation who were making a healthy mark up.

Totally stinks and not a unique situation.

Do people not realise that national insurance pays for the nhs?

@ComtesseDeSpair

So no: I wouldn’t pay an additional tax alone; though I’d potentially support higher taxation for a healthcare model which fit the bill.

I agree with this. Even better, keep tax the same but use the money better.

No way. Already pay out more than my fair share in Tax.

No. Would happily support a move to German, French or Australian systems though and pay accordingly into those. Believe the focus should be on quality of care and individual choice and being able to access specialists quicker. For example was talking to my polish friend who said they get annual smears as part of contraceptive reviews. Much more focus on women’s health which I just don’t see in the nhs.

Just because you are retired doesn’t mean you cannot afford to pay. We live in a comfortable area with lots of retired people with a great deal of money.

The whole system needs an overhaul. It probably does need more funding but an overhaul first.

No.
Because it wouldn't go to the NHS.
It would be funnelled to their mates just like the money has been in this pandemic.
Any time they introduce a new tax a good reason is given but the money is spent on something else.
Whenever a new tax is introduced a million promises are made about what they will use the money for. But the promises aren't kept and then they look to trying to introduce a new tax.
There isn't enough money in the NHS and it's been let down over the years.
I think unfortunately it's going to be sold and people will have to start paying for their treatment. It's the only way the money will go where its needed.

The bigger issue is social care funding which impacts on the nhs

Very difficult to charge for missed appointments.
If you charge 25 year old John who missed the bus, would you also charge for 75 year old Doris who woke late? Probably not. Unfair.
The same people end up paying for everything and others by virtue simply of their age yet who can well afford, would be exempt. As with prescription charges.
Most of my non attenders are the elderly.

Lots of people think it’s fine to pay more tax. They don’t want to pay themselves though- it’s for others to do that.

I really hope we can have a grown up conversation about how to overhaul the NHS.

We pay less on health than almost any developed nation. Then wonder why the NHS can't do everything. It regularly comes out via highly on value for money, but when the service is pared to the bone by successive governments, it is a struggle to provide the level of care we wish. The public is expecting rollsroyce service, but only paying for a trabant.

I agree with @ComtesseDeSpair. I don't have a problem paying for healthcare personally (so long as those who are unable to pay still have access). I lived overseas for a few years and it now blows my mind that I spend more on my car than on my health. My health is the most important thing and I'd be willing to pay to protect it yes.

For anyone who is on lots of meds you can buy a pre payment prescription at £110 per year. For some retired people that isn’t a lot.

I have free prescriptions and am still working. Yet I am given free meds.

@billysboy
The phrase you’ve used it very dated.

I won't be paying any tax at all this year, thanks to lockdowns. My sector has been effectively shut since March.

Yes if they would actually do something about how it currently works as it’s totally unfit for purpose.

It really annoys me as those using it, and those working in it can all come up with improvements to make it better, but between the Government and the unions no one gets anywhere

Of course I would be happy to pay more tax for better public services. All public services are way under funded, just look at the education system. For the whole of society to be better we should just pay a small increase.

Big businesses should also be being taxed fairly.

This was all proposed last election by other parties. People chose to vote for the Tories. What can you do?