Tories deliberately destroying the NHS

[Emptyandsad]

I'm fed up of hearing people blaming the NHS' very real failings on doctors and nurses when the government is deliberately destroying it. This thread on Twitter is just so depressing.

Our country is being driven onto the rocks and it makes me so sad to see what our children will have to put up with. I'm in my 60s so it doesn't matter so much for me. But I'm sickened by what my generation has done.

The NHS isn't what it was when designed.

The population has changed, medicine has changed. The cost of the care provided has gone through the roof. Something like 1 in 12 workers is employed by the NHS. How are we supposed to support an organisation of that size? There’s a hiccup in it somewhere.

Absolutely agree with you OP.

This is true. But the government provides less funding per capita than just about all european countries with similar economies. There is a legitimate debate to be had in public about what we want from our health service and what we're prepared to pay for it

This particular government is surreptitiously wrecking the NHS and hoping that the electorate will blame doctors rather than them. They're doing the same with local councils: stripping them of funding in the belief that local residents will blame councils for being extravagant and money-grabbing (see the ULEZ, 20mph zone and traffic free zone debates for examples) rather than central government for their cuts

We have too many MPs who take money from insurance companies and private healthcare companies as Consultants/ shareholders. They then push the privatisation agenda instead of really supporting our NHS . This conflict of interest is immoral and not what voters want

As someone who lives in a country with an excellent health care system, for people who can afford to pay for it, I urge you to fight tooth and nail for your NHS! Health care should not be for rich people only and directed by private insurance companies who decide whether or not your treatment will be paid for.

I see the UK falling into the American trap. The more people that buy private insurance (the richer people) the more the NHS will suffer.

Yep, I read that it's unlikely that people will be able to access free GP soon... going the same way as dentists

I agree it needs more funding but at the moment there is so much waste and inefficiency it would be like pouring water through a colander. It needs a complete reorganisation, reprioritisation, less bureaucracy, better procurement, less money wasting on ridiculously expensive agency staff, paying £££ for drugs that cost pennies etc etc.

@Mufflepuff The IFS has looked into productivity in the NHS. As you might expect we are not getting value for money. It’s not acceptable to keep pumping money in and getting poor outcomes. The money has not led to greater productivity and nor has more staff. Reading the whole piece is important but shows how people listen to trade unions about money and don’t understand that productivity matters.

That's all true but just a start. I seem to recall the moment the government announced it's last round of money for the NHS it immediately spent millions appointing yet more diversity Czars. Far too much is spent on the top of the organisation and not enough on the nurses on the ground. Also the NHS should charge people for their food or get them to bring their own food. People would be buying food wherever they are sick or well. The NHS should stop writing prescriptions for stuff like painkilling gel you can buy over the counter for less than the cost of the prescription.

Although I completely agree the Govt has ridden it into the ground, I do think it has gone too far now to be able to be easily turned around. Where I am it is normal to wait for 18+hrs in A&E, GP's have automated voicemail so you never get an appointment and never see the same one, Dr's and other staff are visibly cross, run down and the result is you feel like a number rather than a patient, the objective is to save money so tests that should be done are put off for as long as possible even if it might affect the health of the patient - presumably to show proof the "need" for the test (CT/MRI) which feels dangerous. I don't think it has been properly functioning for the last 7 years personally and I've signed up for private and very glad I did after a scary incident recently. It's all well and good loving the NHS, we all do, but if you need it and feel you're being pushed aside, ignored and not given care or information when your life is on the line, you soon realise what has already been lost.

The only problem with the NHS is that people think it should carry on exactly as before. The model has been failing for decades, so it needs to be put out of its misery and a proper, modern system created. We need to look at other European countries for guidance on how to do this.

@BeaRF75 We absolutely do. We need a hybrid model but we also need productivity. GPs seem to have decided this doesn’t matter. They get paid anyway.

As in fact does everyone else! What is the incentive to see more patients? Not much.

I couldn't agree more. Just has this argument on another thread this morning.

I work in mental health, I'm not clinical but managerial (yes one of those who should be sacked as we are responsible allegedly) but I work very closely with frontline colleagues. Part of my role used to be to write investment proposals for funding... I don't do that anymore as there literally is none to apply for. Plus although the acute trusts got Covid recovery money, mental health trusts didn't, despite being overwhelmed since and largely due to the pandemic.

So not only do we have to treat an exponential increase of patients and redesign services without any additional money, we are still expected to make savings! The phrase 'you can't pour from an empty cup' clearly doesn't resonate with our government!

Earlier today I was asked on here 'why don't you do something about it?!' And believe me, I'm trying my best! But apparently because I'm not knocking on the door of No 10 and saying 'please sir can I have some more?' I'm part of the problem! Sorry getting ranty now

Those who say do away with management and bring back old school matrons etc... so then those matrons will need to spend their time on management?! Believe me, we aren't just pen pushers superfluous to requirements... for example, I'm currently expected to do 9 days worth of work every week yet Im only paid to work 5 days... I honestly can't remember the last day I didn't turn on my laptop and I don't get paid for a single minute over 37.5 hours

The Tories have been trying to sabotage the NHS since it began. They want it all privatised, which isn't a new thing. It's been this way forever

A small example. Children no longer get free dental checks.

Presumably the plan is that preventive dentistry is no longer required as creating adults with rotten teeth will put money in the coffers of dentists and private health insurance companies.

It's been failing for exactly 1.3 decades.....

@FixTheBone coincidence I'm sure! Currently locked in a battle with my local MP (former red wall turned Tory) who is citing our universal healthcare as an example of how wonderful our country is (maybe if it was fit for purpose) and my examples from my own work re lack of funding etc have been dismissed as 'allegations'

It really cannot just be about money. If you read the IFS research it’s also about management of resources to get the best outcome for as many patients as possible. Instead we have doctors whose surgeries don’t answer the phone, close for day after day of training and quite simply make patients feel that they are an intrusion.

The awful ward my very old mother was on recently was just horrible. A factory for old women. I’d be booking for Switzerland rather than put up with that. I’ve just heard our local hospital is keeping people waiting 9 months for glaucoma testing. Yes, where you lose your sight. I’m just at 3 months wait. Obviously I’m now going to pay and hopefully I’m off the waiting list. As for mental health - lessons will be learned about who is dangerous. But they never are.

When doctors emigrate to Australia they work for a hybrid insurance health service. They would never advocate for that here. That’s why they get more money in Aus! I think we need a hybrid insurance NHS scheme here. We treat the NHS as a sacred cow. They die in the end. Of old age. A slow and unpleasant death.