NHS Privatisation/Reform

[JLArthur]

What does everyone think of privatisation of our NHS system? As someone that is in complete support of privatisation, paid prescriptions and appointments to alleviate pressure on our healthcare system I'm interested in what others think. I feel like we have no alternative, no money, not enough resources and skilled healthcare professionals are available, many are choosing to work over seas.

Unless you're destitute or an immigrant/asylum seeker in need of immediate medical assistance on arrival then we should be paying for the healthcare and prescriptions received. Whether that's paid for by private insurance policy or without. With private treatment you'll benefit from reduced waiting times, more time to talk to your doctor, less time in waiting rooms and you sometimes be assigned a case worker who will support you through treatments.

Oh, the old “something needs to happen” “this is something so let’s do that” argument. How persuasive. 🙄🙄🙄

We do need to pay more, because privatisation equals funding.

Not many need persuasion, most here are a for a better system that requires people paying something. The NHS is turning into that of dinosaur.

@themadhat

American healthcare is not paid for by taxes (for every day. you do pay a tax your whole working life for healthcare at 65). Insurance costs are separate and can be thousands of dollars a month for families. And the plans are often inadequate and even with insurance, you may have to pay as much as $10000 before your insurance starts to pay, and you may have a payment at point of service as well.

Considering you keep stating that the NHS is free, you sound like an idiot.

Our taxes don’t make I dent in the cost, so effectively is free.

It IS as expensive as I think. I have worked in the industry for 30 years and am quite qualified to talk about costs and business models.

I don't disagree that something has to change, but this isn't the model to follow.

What a surprise - someone who pays for private healthcare thinks that all healthcare should be chargeable.

The Conservatives just want to break the NHS until enough folk shout loud enough for something else. It's ideologically driven, and it will be a loss to the UK.

Oh I’m not saying the NHS doesn’t need to change, but your solution is not a solution.

That sounds more like a conspiracy theory than actual fact and you’re talking to a liberal. I pay for private healthcare because the current NHS has failed.

I'm alright jack?

Lucky you, that is not the experience of most people and hasn't been for many, many years.

How many of the European systems have you used? Private systems here don't offer the full range of services here because they are not required do. Most of Europe does better than we do with the full range of services and without patients needing to be sharp elbowed and time rich simply in order to access the services they are paying for. Prices and fees are still negotiated nationally as part of the system in most European countries.

The current system doesn't even look after its own staff, how on earth can it look after patients?

And why can’t taxation = funding?

But you have to advocate for either higher taxes or better wages. We are in a cost-of-living crisis where people can't afford housing or heating and now you propose getting people to pay for healthcare. Are you having a laugh?

Yes!🙌

@Hyldgegrub well said! I'm one of the hated NHS 'middle managers' yet my role is to seek and apply for funding to improve services. Take away people like me and who's going to do that? I don't think the people who say more clinical staff, less managers realise that it'll then be those clinical staff taking time away from patient care to actually do the management tasks!

So increase taxation.

Taxes are too low and too many are taking advantage, not paying for prescription, making an appointment for stubbed toe every other week.

I can’t have all the answers, some will have to choose if they can afford an appointment with a GP but the system is on its knees.

There is no infrastructure or staff for a privatised health service currently. Everyone would need to sign up for decades of NHS style care whilst paying for it and gradually the money will seep through to improved buildings, more training etc but for most of us, we won't see the benefits.

As an NhS worker, I wouldn't work if it was privatised as it goes against my beliefs and I know what it would do to the patients I treat (and it wouldn't be good)

It's always floated as the answer. It really isn't.

@SnakesAndArrows

"So increase taxation"

+++

You could spend the entire UK Government budget on the NHS and demand will still outstrip supply because it is free at the point of use.

Soy you have a choice in controlling demand either through price or queuing or a combination of both.

We need to pay more towards the nhs and make sure it goes directly to it and is used wisely. Why that's so hard I'll never understand

Do you work for the NHS? No? Then stop presuming to know what's happening. There are no signs anywhere where I work that this is the future.

Do you realise how callous you sound?

The death rates will go through the roof in the UK, and we already have an ageing population whereby we can't afford state pensions because we are not having enough kids to afford the system so you'll kill more people off, say goodbye to your pension sooner...

Raise taxes. Keep it equitable. Do you seriously think anyone’s getting an appointment for a stubbed toe?

I’ve had to pay for private healthcare because of the mess. Actually, it really is going that way. People are dying, people won’t keep waiting 2 years for a GP appointment either.