BBC news saying Scotland discussed possibility of wealthy being expected to pay for nhs treatment

[Ruizy]

Feeling a bit horrified at the prospect of this proposal. Surely it would just mean those above a certain wage would have to take out bupa style insurance. But not sure what would happen to emergency care.

Can you break it down a bit with figures?

It’s hard to know who will carry the healthcare cost burden. Who pays more? Say everyone above £45k…

And does anyone pay less

Here in Wales too

I understand from my friends and family that psychiatric care and elderly care is very good.
No idea about gender changes/fertility, but women's health care is good. Smear tests, contraception is provided in GP by specialist nurses who can arrange scans, blood tests and prescribe all in one setting. French women get good post natal care, including physiotherapy and pelvic floor therapy.

Absolutely but the UK system is also based on income so I was just confused about the differences between the system here and France. I guess it's just the rate of the national insurance that's the problem for the UK.

Access to dementia care in France is poor.

WRT actual figures I will have to ask somebody to send me information. My French isn't that great though...
They will all be at work atm, I might be able to find something via google.

No, I wouldn't accept it as being fair at all.

Well until the education system is given a swift kick in the arse and broad sciences taught in far more places to AH, then we’re going to struggle producing medics.

as it stands Scottish medical schools are full of private school kids and overseas students.

the NHS requires a grown-up discussion without the usual hysteria “but America”. There are plenty of European functioning health systems which do not exist on a tiered basis (you can pay extra if you want a private room).

EU insurance companies are not set up to cream enormous profits, but rather “manage waste”.

i gave birth twice in the EU (sections), used NICU and had a maternity nurse at home for 2 weeks each time. Total cost? Zero. My insurance premium cost 114 euros/month and included dental/physio/chiro…

And many dementia drugs are not covered by state insurance.
By the way in France you have to pay up front and then apply for reimbursement. So you have to have the funds available and the ability to apply for reimbursement.

My bro in China was in hospital for a few weeks his wife and MIL had a rota set up, they brought in the meals, attended to him. He said the care was excellent there but it's expected that food is brought in

Don’t worry if not. Someone else might know.

I find it a bit confusing as NI is based on income too. If we were to match it what would change in terms of payment. Ie would everyone above say £45k just be paying more (20 to 30% more?) no idea really

It is pretty grim here too. My mum and MIL both had dementia. It was a very, very expensive nightmare. My poor mum actually had a good quality of life but she went into hospital for something else and died a horrific death from starvation and neglect.

@Hooverphobe Virtually every EU system costs more. The UK needs to pay more, that is the issue. There is too little money going into the NHS.
Most European countries people pay insurance plus an excess every time they use care. It adds up to far higher amounts being put into the system.

Who’d of thought left leaning devolved governments would be the ones to break the NHS?

This exactly what the USA has. Medicaid for lower incomes, Medicare for the retired, and everyone else is on their own. Many people cannot afford private but are not poor enough for medicaid.

If free at the point of use healthcare isn’t universal, what is left will lack broad support and be whittled away.

A friend iwas looking into private healthcare for his staff. £25 per month per employee. He's gone for it to get employees back on their feet faster.

I have a family member who was desperately ill waiting for a transplant. He was unable to work. Every time he was admitted to hospital all his benefits were stopped. Paying for food was the least of his problems.

Wow GB news are covering this now

Why do people keep referring to this being an SNP policy? The BBC article says it was discussed by NHS Scotland chief executives, not the SnP

NHS Scotland has a £1 billion black hole Sheesh

I've found that most who say 'people need to pay more, and accept its going to cost them' often mean 'other people need to pay more, not me'...

Scotland spent £9 billion on covid relief. How much is that per head of population does anyone know?

I would pay more. We will all pay more under insurance anyway, except the very richest. But at least I can afford to pay more tax. If I had to pay excesses my DC and DH will go with medical care.

From the nhs scotland website.
'Responsibility for the NHS is a devolved matter and therefore rests with theScottish government. Thr Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has ministerial responsibility in the Scottish Cabinet for the NHS In Scotland. The Scottish Government decides what resources are to be devoted to the NHS in the context of public expenditure'

But am not surprised by the usual SNP. "Its nae us, a big boy did it and ran away".

I agree. But those with poor reading comprehension appear to be assuming that this is SNP policy. Bizarre.

There is one political party that has defunded and run down our health services (throughout the UK, not just Scotland) to the point that chief executives are actually discussing this as a potential thing to consider. And it wasn't the SNP.

Our anger should be levelled at the fucking tories.

Does anyone know financially what the biggest drain on the NHS is? I’m finding conflicting info as to whether it’s obesity, diabetes meds abs/or smoking.