300 children from Gaza to be brought to the UK for free specialist NHS care

[Fragmentedbrain]

According to the Sunday Times. That's nearly as many beds as there are in Great Ormond Street, where the average waiting time for paediatric surgery is 15 weeks (which is fairly typical nationwide).

Why is it mysteriously possible for government to deliver these showy, headline-grabbing measures (I know we already knew it could happen from COVID policy) but not to just make systems work well in an ordinary way?

You say this as if it’s a gotcha: in fact plenty of people would and have taken in refugees, from the Kindertransport to Homes for Ukrainians and many other instances of displacement in-between. Don’t assume everyone shares your grim attitude.

Are you suggesting that countries don’t invest in defence?

Are you THAT naive to think the world will just get along in peace?

It’s all very well talking in theory but reality is very different. We need defence. There are some scary leaders and organisations out there - just look at Hamas. If that happened to you or your family, you’d want defence, and I’m almost certain you’d want retribution. You sure as hell would want your family members returned.

Well, as my posts up till now have said, I support the bringing over of the Gazan children with my whole heart. And I said as an NHS doctor I would be more than happy to treat them as I always am when I see asylum seekers and support their applications.

Thank you for confirming from the horses mouth why the NHS is so beleaguered. Putting the Gazan children aside, what other country has this policy? Honestly? It's utter madness.

For about the twentieth time this conflict is in the Middle East. In the same way we wouldn't be shipped to China for healthcare if Scotland retaliated to us committing atrocities, so those in gaza shouldn't be shipped here for healthcare and have a charity 'work in parallel with NHS Drs'.

The rich countries closer who have taken those requiring treatment so far should take them all. They have the funds, resources and capacity. We do not.

at war forever? Really? It’s not even been 100yrs

They won't be accepted for asylum unless they meet the relevant criteria. They don't get it purely because they've been receiving medical treatment here.

Think about your argument applied to Jewish children who came over here as refugees in the 30s. Should we have sent them back to countries occupied by the Nazis because "we can't help everyone"?

I am very glad that as clinicians we are not given the job of deciding who is deserving and not deserving of medical care. That would be completely unacceptable.

This has been mentioned upthread. This was on our doorstep of course we helped.

We needed persuasion

Perhaps if you were a parent with a sick child on a15wk wait and not a hcp you'd be a bit more invested.

The poster called the party leaders racist, sexist grifters, not the members. The party is very clever in the way it manipulates the public and exploits the failure of the other main parties. They will fail too. I haven’t seen them put forward any ideas for fostering growth or solving nhs/housing,/cost of living crisis. They are hellbent in attaining power using the age old resource of the scapegoat used by every political grifter in history. If we vote them in we are headed for disaster. Women who vote for them will no doubt come to regret it as will the working class.

There was a lot of resistance and the government did try to send my grandfather back to Nazi-occupied territory!

But more importantly: why should anything be on our doorstep to care about it and want to help? “Any man’s death diminishes me / Because I am involved in mankind.”

This is probably funded with the profit the government makes from selling arms to Israel.

You’ve missed my point which is that if you’ve spent the last two years saying that Israel can and should do what it likes you shouldn’t be surprised when the consequences of that end up at the door. By you I don’t mean you personally, I mean anyone who cheers Netanyahu and cronies on. No point whinging.

It’s tax payer funded …bringing around 300 for NHS treatment….its not going to be funded privately.…

A lot of people on this thread need to review the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Which was delivered in answer to the question ‘Who is my neighbour?’ The answer, of course, is whoever needs your help.

I'm not talking about defence spending and I'm not talking about "theory" . I'm stating facts - The UK has supplied Israel with arms. Are you suggesting that babies and children need to die in order for our country to be defended?

Of course the hostages should be returned, but again, what does that have to do with these children? The children are not hamas. They do not deserve to have suffered the amount that they have. The children have no power to return the hostages. If someone were to kidnap my family member, I may want retribution as you say, but that wouldn't involve war crimes against against children. IMO Netanyahu is one of those "scary leaders" you speak of. Just look at how many he has terrorised. Again, 18500 children already dead, so what if we help 300? Surely you dont think that these children deserve to die?

Well one thing you are right about OP is you do have a fragmented brain.

I can't believe you could possibly have a problem with this.

It is odd about your friends, as Reform's proposals will increase the benefits bill?

The majority of the electorate don't support Reform and as you say there is still a long way to go. Plenty of time to establish a tactical vote campaign to keep Reform out!

But they have very rich Samaritans much closer by who yes are helping and are able to continue to do so.

I don't know, if it were me and one of my dc was sick I'd like them to be treated closer to home for logistical reasons and of course practical ones like culture, language etc. When one is very distressed and anxious the last thing you need is more complications like language barriers.

My close relative has been denied a life-saving operation on the NHS. “Budgets” donchaknow. I was a Good Samaritan, but now I realise that there are a lot of people laughing in the face of a well-intentioned country.

Oh, and my relative is not some old codger either before someone pulls that card.

I’d assume yes they will come too ….is the tax payer footing the bill for their board and shelter?