Boris’ latest message.

[EyUpMeDuck]

It’s good to see Boris is getting better. He said in his video message that he went through a critical 48 hours and it could have gone either way. Do you think the early intervention and oxygen helped save him? Would he likely have pulled through if he was treated like you or I and had to be turning blue or unable to finish his sentences before receiving hospital intervention?

[Iggly]

“Cash” injection means nothing when inflation has to be factored in.
It’s like saying “in 1980, my boss paid me £10 a week and now I’m getting £20 in 2020!”

Don’t fall for the spin.

[Oxyiz]

Yes of course my post way above was sarcastic!

(Do we actually need to write that next to posts these days?)

[chomalungma]

It’s like saying “in 1980, my boss paid me £10 a week and now I’m getting £20 in 2020!

But that's 100% more

[Booboostwo]

A number of things can be true at the same time.

Early intervention seems to lead to better outcomes for COVID patients.

It is reasonable that a country's PM would get earlier and more dedicated medical treatment than other patients. He is simply more important by virtue of being the PM.

The NHS is a great idea in theory and it is run by amazing, dedicated staff.

A chronically underfunded NHS will struggle to offer everything that could be offered to patients if better funded. This is not a slur on the NHS staff, it's a criticism of the politicians who make funding decisions and those who voted for them.

So, in conclusion, BoJo got preferential treatment, this is not necessarily immoral in itself, but what is problematic is that decades of underfunding mean that treatment that is available in other countries will not be available on the NHS (equally treatment that is available on the NHS won't be available in many, many different other countries). The average COVID patient will not get early intervention because the NHS simply can't do it.

[vera99]

The right-wing free-market ideologues and Boris supporters and backers are out in force this morning and preparing the ground for counterattacks to ensure the deification of the NHS post-Boris doesn't get in the way of their economic agendas. because it isn't political. Oh no . Just have a look at this thread.....

twitter.com/andrew_lilico?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

[NiteFlights]

God, I thought he looked like absolute shit during the latest statement. I was impressed he’d managed to get dressed in a shirt and tie! I’d have been in my pyjamas.

[Lweji]

Didn't think he looked particularly ill, no breathlessness, no coughing, infact had i not known he'd been in hospital, i'd thought he was just delivering another one of his Churchillian speeches.

Do you mean before or after hospital?
They wouldn't have released him if he was short of breath, surely.

Anyway, reading about the actual pathology of this disease, doctors say that they meet patients who seem to be doing fairly well but have very low oxygen levels.
Perhaps that was Boris' issue.

There are also suggestions that putting people on ventilators is doing more harm than good and that low pressure oxygen is better for the type of lung damage seen in COVID, btw.

[CovidCanFKcuOFF]

The whole NHS needs over hauling.
Phe, all of it. I hope Dominic Cummings is watching all this, it must be madly frustrating to have so many setbacks on something so easy like ppe!!

Clunky, old fashioned... Slow. We need culture change, everything tightening up. Cleaners brought back under ward control. Cleaning is vital pillar in hospital care and its slack and gone shite and hospital can do little about it.

We need German style model. Waiting 3 months to see consultant is killing people and clogging systems up.
Raise pay of course, base hours and whatever on what other people do

[CovidCanFKcuOFF]

Boob hospitals were badly run down under Blair to the point of failed.

Boris was supposed to be in hospital 3 days before he went.

He wasn't whisked in at the merest hint of trouble at all.

The issue is culture and set up in NHS. Shoving billions at it will do nothing unless the basics are sorted out

[Lweji]

The government is responsible for organising and funding the NHS. The buck stops at them.

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

"Powered by love" - well it would have to be because NHS workers are certainly not in it for the money and let's not forget Boris leads the party who cheered and clapped when they froze nurses' wages.

This.

What a pity he didn't manage to name check any black or Asian NHS staff ... But that would have been awkward when the Tories want to repatriate them all.

[Theworldisfullofgs]

CovidCanFKcuOFF

Did you work in the nhs then? I did pre and post Blair. The difference was amazing.

No £ at all to actually being able to do something.
Either you didnt work in it or you worked in a parallel universe.

[TheWordWomanIsTaken]

He is simply more important by virtue of being the PM
A chronically underfunded NHS will struggle to offer everything that could be offered to patients if better funded. This is not a slur on the NHS staff, it's a criticism of the politicians who make funding decisions and those who voted for them
So, in conclusion, BoJo got preferential treatment, this is not necessarily immoral in itself, but what is problematic is that decades of underfunding mean that treatment that is available in other countries will not be available on the NHS (equally treatment that is available on the NHS won't be available in many, many different other countries). The average COVID patient will not get early intervention because the NHS simply can't do it

The NHS simply can't do it because of decisions taken by the party currently led by the man who gets preferential treatment. The party that brayed like disgusting fools when they blocked pay rises for public services.
Whilst I agree with the sentiment of what you have said I simply do not agree that Boris should have received preferential treatment. Whilst his role may be considered to be more important than that of other workers he, as a person, his life is no more important or valued than any of the other 10000+ who have died or the thousands more who will die. He is nothing special at all. He is a lying, self-serving adulterer. He is not a man I would be proud to have as a family member.
The precautionary treatment he received should be available to everyone. Perhaps with the magic £350m it will be when the next pandemic comes around (pigs may also fly).
It so is political. And I agree with those that say he has flouted isolation rules. His flat at 11 Downing Street is where he was living before this - he popped back to Downing Street to make his speech. He should have stayed there. It is not the equivalent of living at the office. Carrie Symonds should not have gone to Downing Street to meet him, especially not accompanied by two security(?) personnel in the car - does social distancing not apply to these people? She was previously at their own home or Chequers. She should have stayed there. They are not love's young dream, far from it. The rest of us can't visit other households, the rest of us can't see loved ones, the rest of us have to have our weddings cancelled and no-one attend our funerals. But these two are ferried around the country. Hypocrites.

[Peregrina]

Whatever the failings of the Blair government, he's been gone more than 10 years, and the Tories have had ample time to improve things, if they so chose.

[SylvanianFrenemies]

I'd guess Po Ling and Angel may be asian and black respectively. Not saying that to take away from your general point about the policies.

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

Fair point - I was concentrating on the two given special attention.

I honestly don't anticipate that his experience will have any significant, positive effect on Tory NHS policy.

[Peregrina]

Someone with the name Angel could be Spanish - pronounced Ang-hel, with the ng as in sing.

[SylvanianFrenemies]

He said "Angel", I think, rather than the Spanish pronunciation. Mind you, I would not rely on our PM to be accurate in such matters...

[EggBaconBeans]

And still the haters continue to hate...

[TheWordWomanIsTaken]

And still the sheep continue to bleat...

[X1402]

Why do people always post biscuits I don’t get it

[SylvanianFrenemies]

Eggbaconandbeans - if there was hate here you'd be seeing people wishing harm on Boris Johnson. But they aren't, are they? People are just criticising aspects of his political conduct. Any sitting Prime Minister is up for scrutiny, and I doubt it bothers him one bit.

[LastTrainEast]

I look forward to having a real labour government one day (one that doesn't reject 51% of voters and take instructions from some guy on twitter) but it's quite normal to feel some sympathy for a fellow human being who is sick. Even animals can manage that.

There are some people on here who don't get that and if you're one of them I doubt we could explain it to you.

[Theworldisfullofgs]

Eggbaconandbeans - if there was hate here you'd be seeing people wishing harm on Boris Johnson. But they aren't, are they? People are just criticising aspects of his political conduct. Any sitting Prime Minister is up for scrutiny, and I doubt it bothers him one bit.

This.

[Merename]

I’m amazed by the amount of people saying ‘why does this have to turn political’ - it concerns the most senior politician in the land! How could it be possible that a discussion about the nhs that his office is ultimately responsible for, could not be political? It’s possible to not wish Boris ill in health terms but to be highly critical of his actions, isn’t it?