Tories aren’t even bothering to hide their NHS privatisation plan anymore

[Letshaveablackcelebration2022]

I think it was possible Noam Chomsky who said that the route to all privatisation of services was that first they run it totally into the ground and then they offer up a private model as a solution . It’s actually tedious in its predictability. Pillaging everything good from the country- Royal Mail, water, utilities, rail network, even housing via private landlords - everything to make profit.

And of course as predicted, the NHS was the final prize.

*possibly!!

So we know when voting in 2024 what is at stake.

So what’s your 3-point solution for fixing the behemoth? You can email it to Keir.

YABU there was nothing "good" about British Rail! 🤣

@Clouds3898 It’s about a million times worse now- and mega expensive too!

@DressingForRevenge and yours is privatisation is it? I’d pay more tax to ensure it’s future.

I agree. They seem an opportunity to transfer a public good into private profit and won't stop until they've made even money for Tory backers and cronies. I actually wept the other day about the NHS, it's like a family member that's being abused.

Good point! 😂

VOTE!!! (Smartly)

@Clouds3898 germany had a scheme where you could travel accross the country by train for like £12 a month or something crazy like that. It’s so depressing that we just fill the pockets of greedy (Tory) shareholders while the country burns!

@EatYourVegetables yes! I’ll vote for anyone that ensures the tories are out! I don’t even really care who gets in anymore as long as it’s not them but assume it will be Labour - am not a Starmer fan AT ALL but surely it will be marginally better?!

This is where I diverge from you a bit. I agree it needs to be properly funded and it hasn't been under the Tories. But its budget for this year is £180bn. It represents 45% of total government receipts. That's considerably more than countries like France and Germany. I don't want to get to a stage where it becomes all about funding the NHS and not other things like education, housing etc. All these things are important.
A proper funding plan needs to go hand in hand with reform to make it fit for purpose for the next half century. Money alone isn't enough in my view

It’s a little more complicated than more tax = more money.

And I say that as a “heavy user” making use of equipment and drugs simply not available at it’s inception. Or even the 90s.

It’s a serious topic requiring serious thought, not just mindless sound bites and thoughts of US-style insurance.

If they're not hiding their plan, link it to us so we can read it.
I already pay for some forms of my healthcare. I pay for my teeth and I'm not allowed to see an NHS chiropodist so I have to pay privately to see one of those. And I pay for my medication. Abd they wanted to charge me for my flu jab even though I'm over 60.
The NHS has to change. The country can't afford this model. Why do you want to stay stuck in a failing system? There are tons of viable alternative systems that are not yotal privatisation. Why be so stuck in the past that you can't open your mind to possible improvements?

Javid is just a backbencher who is standing down at the next election. The article that snapshot is from is pretty clear that this is just one man's opinion and not party policy.

You'd also imagine any plan to privatise the NHS would be more advanced after a decade and a bit in government.

I suspect it will come as a surprise to the many European countries where charges are standard for doctor appointments that they have had privatised medical provision all this time.

Good. It should have been privatised decades ago, as it was obvious from the very early days of the NHS that the model was unsustainable and open to abuse by the general public.

@EuripidesEumenides it’s part of a narrative though is it. Drip drip, make it acceptable to the public, defund public services to the point of collapse.

@MarshaMelrose but it’s only a failing system because they have made it a failing system by design.

£152 billion is going to the NHS this year. How the hell is that defunding the nhs to the point of collapse?

"many European countries where charges are standard for doctor appointments"

Most EU countries do NOT charge for GP appointments. In his article Javid has named the few that do.

So we know when voting in 2024 what is at stake.

they will probably still win which is depressing

@MarshaMelrose do you not read the news? People dying in corridors, waiting 12 hours for ambulances, doctors nurses ambulance staff all striking because they can’t take anymore, massive gaps in recruitment etc etc

A proper funding plan needs to go hand in hand with reform to make it fit for purpose for the next half century. Money alone isn't enough in my view

agree

@renonovice yes- but reform doesn’t nescessarily have to mean privatisation. That in itself is such a Tory idea and fallacy. The idea that only the private sector can fix the public sector is neoliberal bollocks

Frankly I don't give a shit if it is privatised if that's what it takes to make it better.