RIP NHS: if I hadn't polished off 3 glasses of chardonnay...

[JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar]

I'd elaborate a little.

Anyway, a friend wrote this

It's not comfortable reading :(

"Britnell saying that ?the NHS will be a state insurance provider not a state deliverer? has revealed the real intentions of the Tory Party with the NHS bill before Parliament

"GMB responded to statements which have come to light by Mark Britnell, a former high-flyer in the Department of Health, now global head of health at KPMG, and recent appointee to David Cameron?s ?kitchen cabinet? of health experts to advise on health service reform"

I had already seen the document from the conference. People seemed to be disinterested, too confused or simply too apathetic, now the bills passed, what can be done?

Time and again the state is shown not to be good at managing commercial enterprises... and despite the fact that it's a healthcare organisation, the NHS's core business is commercial procurement. The day I am asked to fork out to see my GP or surgeon I will consider that the principles of the NHS have been infringed. But if, as recently happened, I am referred to a private specialist for treatment and not asked to contribute one penny... what does it matter that they don't have an NHS badge on their uniform?

CogitoErgoSometimes Spot on - I haven't even managed to get a sensible answer out of several NHS mates of mine about this. I think it boils down to fear of change.

The NHS needs to be universal and free at the point of use - there is no need for a state monolith to be the only healthcare provider out there. Bring in competition and let's see it improve.

well yes. competition has worked so well in the past... the railways, energy, PFI...no profiteering, fabulous service...

oh, er wait a minute...

The problem with rail and utility privatisation is that there is no real competition. How can, picking two businesses at random, South West Trains be in any meaningful competition with Merseyrail. It was the stupidest way to privatise the industry. Similarly, with utilities it boils down to the same water / gas / electricity flowing down the same sewer / pipeline / cable - competition extends to who do you want to pay your bill to. That isn't competition in a meaningful way either.

Were the NHS to be privatised YOU could chose between any number of healthcare providers - the rest of the developed world does it this way and a significant number of other countries have healthcare systems that put ours to shame.

Energy supply works far better than it ever did in the past. So does telecommunications, parcel post and a lot of other industries besides. They are far more accountable and customer-oriented. You'd have to hop in a Tardis and experience the true misery of being put on a long waiting list because you're only allowed to buy gas appliances or telephones from one inadequate monopoly to appreciate just how utterly crap it actually was. Oh now... wait a minute...

If I am ill, I don't want to choose between healthcare providers, I want someone to make me better. Are you saying that one healthcare provider will be better at curing me than another? Or does it simply mean that those with a higher level of insurance will hop up the waiting list leaving me, a mother of three waiting to see the consultant about the lump in my breast? Is that how it will work.

And energy provision may have improved - but my God it is expensive - and I agree about telecommunications (there is much competition.)

Yet I do see space for reform - I would like to be able to see a GP at a surgery at weekends and in the evenings. It is bizarre and archaic that I can't.

It's already well-known that there some specialists in particular fields that are better than others. Doctors know who these people are same as builders know the best plumbers... they all move in the same circles. The current system is that private patients get to see these specialists tomorrow whereas NHS patients have to wait. We should all have access to the better ones and we shouldn't have to wait - that's how it happens in places like Belgium or France where their public health system makes full use of private companies. There's no real reason why the NHS should be any different.