To wonder why the government don't increase taxes to fund the NHS better?

[Smolgoose]

From a lot of threads on here recently about lack of being able to access healthcare, and my own anecdotal experiences, it seems like the NHS is in a worse crisis than ever, and not able to cope with the demands upon it.

This thread is definately not about individual NHS staff, but about the whole system generally.

Why don't the government increase taxation to increase NHS funding? It wouldn't solve some issues such as the shortage of staff, but funding could be also funneled into increasing the number of people trained.

A lot of people think we are heading down a privitisation route, but as far as I know the government have not yet floated the idea of changing free at the point of service.

Wouldn’t it relieve pressure on the NHS if those who can afford private healthcare cover get it, only using the NHS in emergencies so freeing up GP appointments, surgery slots etc?

Only if you can suddenly magic up more staff for all that private care. Surgeons work in the NHS and privately, the more time they spend on private work, the less they work in the NHS. They can’t work in two places at once.

Personally I pay enough in thanks.

In the past year the NHS has nearly killed my son while I was in labour through arrogant staff who think they know everything because of 'textbooks and statistics'

The NHS is rotten. It needs a major overhaul. I think there are in-effiencies. If things were done right in the first place they wouldn't need fixing. The cost of providing me with a midwife for the whole time I was in labour verse the cost of the NHS paying for a NICU stay for my son and my PTSD therapy.....

Maybe tge NHS is good value for money compared to other countries but doesn't mean it should get complacent.

I do think prescriptions shouldn't be free unless have one if the chronic medical conditions. Have a pre-pay certificate by all means.

Personal I am all for looking at other models. As with all systems there are good and bad eggs in there but for some messed up reason in this country we aren't 'allowed to point out the bad ones when it comes to the NHS.

Because they are cunts.

This.

Boris spent £43 million on the garden bridge that was NEVER BUILT.

PLEASE STOP VOTING FOR THEM!!!!!!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I dont want to pay anymore tax, thankyou.

The NHS needs a really good overhaul. Get rid of the waste and inefficiency.

Oldsu
You can retire at any age, just get your state pension at 65/66/67/68,
I take your not in your 60’s, cause some days you fill like an OAP

RulesRulesRulesRulesRules
How much did Tony spend on the millennium dome, which was sold off at a massive loss

@Sirius99

RulesRulesRulesRulesRules How much did Tony spend on the millennium dome, which was sold off at a massive loss

Who cares? It’s 20 years ago. At least Blair funded the NHS properly.

we pay enough in taxes, i dont wanna pay more when we seen the tories literally steal BILLIONS last summer in fake companys providing (or in this case failing to provide PPE equipment)

So No..

@Sirius99

Oldsu You can retire at any age, just get your state pension at 65/66/67/68, I take your not in your 60’s, cause some days you fill like an OAP

But you said PENSIONERS, people who take early retirement are not pensioners are they? , pensioners are people who have reached state pension age and are drawing the state pension, not people of working age who are living off a private pension (which BTW you can get at age 55.) Lets be honest you were having a dig at actual pensioners when you said rich people (pensioners) get free prescriptions and dental work (which I have proved not to be the case)

BTW I am 66, I AM a pensioner because I draw my state pension although I am actually still working, If I had decided to to defer my state pension, technically I would be of pension age but not an actual pensioner.

The NHS needs a complete overhaul. Because it is a sacred institution in the UK, it is hard to get anyone to look at it critically. It was difficult as a working person to even access a GP at the best of times, let alone anything else.

I've gone back to the Australian system and do a mix of private health insurance and public (although you could do just public, I find it good to have the choice). Can I just note that the two are like night and day? The Aus system is convenient and you can pick your provider. There is no postcode lottery. I can see a GP when it suits me, including on weekends. I just book online.

They have just lowered the threshold for the higher tax bracket, I was previously just under it, the change is increasing my tax by £800 per year.

How much did the stories lose by selling the banks back off at below the right value. How much do they waste now on political aides and management consultants. How much has been wasted on the incompetence that is track and track.

Canada also has a health service funded by taxation, although some things are not covered by it. The NHS could restrict some of what it currently does, experimental treatments need to be considered more carefully.

I expect the Australian system, like the German or other system that attracts praise, also costs considerably more than the NHS. Pay for a mini and dont expect a rolls royce.

Because people don’t want to pay more tax, and also because anyone who works in the NHS know it’s not necessarily solely the lack of funding, it’s how most of the funding is completely mismanaged at the top level.

If people don’t want to pay more tax, they can’t complain about crap services. You get what you pay for.

Blossomtoes
Unfortunately, that’s not always true

@Sirius99

Blossomtoes Unfortunately, that’s not always true

What part of it isn’t true? How do you run public services with no money? Personally I think the Scandinavians have got it right.

I think there's always a view that most high earners will leave rather than pay a little more. I think I move in unusual leftiecircles, we are part of a friendship group (London based) where household incomes are between 100 & 300k and 80% of us would accept paying higher tax in exchange for better funding of public services in the current climate.

I think that's driven by us all having young kids, we've benefitted from health care a lot in terms of fertility, maternity services and children's health. Plus we are aware of the need for education funding, and we worry about the future for our children.

I think a lot of it comes down to the increase in tax actually making a difference to front line services.
So often it gets eaten up before actually making a difference to patients.

A lot of the terrible care I have had from the NHS has not been long waiting times but poor staff. In the past year a receptionist has told me and I quote 'I dont care when I was in tears thinking I was having a miscarriage. I have been left dehydrated when I have asked for water and none been brought to me. I have nearly given birth with no medical assistance because midwives didn't listen to me and fobbed me off saying 'statistics and textbooks say it will be hours'. I have been told off for having a panic attack despite my husband explaining I have a fear of hospitals. I was promised a phone call from a senior midwife in June 2020 to explain why y care had been so below standard- a year later I am still waiting. That is disgraceful agrongant staff. So yes I don't want to pay more tax while staff behaviour like that is allowed. And incase anyone is wondering that was across to different trusts.

Agree with those saying it’s not just about the money and funding. The NHS is chronically inefficient and unfortunately the reality is that any more money thrown at it would just be swallowed up by said chronic inefficiency.

I would happily pay a lot more tax for the NHS but there’s no point in throwing more money at it if they’re then going to piss it up the wall.

the reality is that any more money thrown at it would just be swallowed up by said chronic inefficiency

It wasn’t the last time its funding was increased.

@Blossomtoes

the reality is that any more money thrown at it would just be swallowed up by said chronic inefficiency

It wasn’t the last time its funding was increased.

But its track history. Outside of a pandemic with everyday funding.....

I know a very senior member think regional head type roll.
I have previously heard them say and accept 'yes that is quite common for that to happen' when talking about what most people would call sub standard care.

Being shit a lot doesn't make it acceptable. It just means you are shit a lot. Personally not something I think our NHS should be aspiring to.

@Ostara212

The NHS has a huge amount of money and no intention of channelling it into the staff that are needed.

Wait and see, when they get more from selling our data, patient care still won't improve.

Please post the information that says our data will be sold