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[Misc] The NHS

What should we do with the NHS?

  • Privatise it

    Votes: 29 16.2%
  • Keep it in the political system

    Votes: 150 83.8%

  • Total voters
    179


Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
Is it time to get rid, bring in a firm that can run our health system? Or should we stick with politicians that use it like a political football whilst people die? We could make it private with systems in hand to make it a proper health institution, or we could leave it as a political football to kick around. I would personal;ly like to see it dismantled from politicians, because, at the end of the day it just seems to get worse and worse and worse. We still pay our NHS but put it in the hands of business, people we can trust to give us a service. Am I wishing too much or is business a bit too scary to hand our health to? I know it's a bastion of socialism, but are we now taking on too much?
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,983
Goldstone
Is it time to get rid, bring in a firm that can run our health system? Or should we stick with politicians that use it like a political football whilst people die?
Even if you had a private company running it all, they'd still get the money and requirements from the government, so it would still be political, but with a private company making a massive profit at our expense. And of course in the years where their gambling went wrong, the taxpayers would bail them out as it would be too big to fail.

There could be a way to distance the running of it from the government (like the BofE) while still keeping it in the public sector.
 




Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
Even if you had a private company running it all, they'd still get the money and requirements from the government, so it would still be political, but with a private company making a massive profit at our expense. And of course in the years where their gambling went wrong, the taxpayers would bail them out as it would be too big to fail.

There could be a way to distance the running of it from the government (like the BofE) while still keeping it in the public sector.

Much of it is privatised anyway. Why don't we just rid ourselves of politicians and make a proper go of it? This NHS under the Govt. is lost in the 1940s, they have no idea how to run, what is essentially, a business, people's health is a business, like it or hate it. Would we not be better off allowing experts to run it?
 






Wardy's twin

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2014
8,402
The NHS is like a patient who is in the hands of a surgeon who has no interest in or understanding of how to save the patient and indeed takes more pleasure by slicing off bits to justify his own ends i.e making the patient more sick .
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,466
Gloucester
Is it time to get rid, bring in a firm that can run our health system? Or should we stick with politicians that use it like a political football whilst people die? We could make it private with systems in hand to make it a proper health institution, or we could leave it as a political football to kick around. I would personal;ly like to see it dismantled from politicians, because, at the end of the day it just seems to get worse and worse and worse. We still pay our NHS but put it in the hands of business, people we can trust to give us a service. Am I wishing too much or is business a bit too scary to hand our health to? I know it's a bastion of socialism, but are we now taking on too much?
It's putting large chunks of it (through PFI and use of agencies and contracting out) in the hands of business that has f**ked it up, and made it far more expensive than it should be. The poll questions are completely skewed in favour of privatisation. I'm not voting on those options.
 


Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
It's putting large chunks of it (through PFI and use of agencies and contracting out) in the hands of business that has f**ked it up, and made it far more expensive than it should be. The poll questions are completely skewed in favour of privatisation. I'm not voting on those options.

So, we all have opinions, what do you think, what does anyone think, we should do for the NHS?
 














Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
Reduce the use of agency nurses for a start, and as for contracting out, start by bringing things like cleaning and catering back in house.

What about losing around 2/3's of admin, which, at the end of the day throttles the NHS coffers, like everything Govt.
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,466
Gloucester
Carillion was never in the public sector, totally wrong argument.

Never in the public sector, true - but it's not 'the wrong argument'. It is/was a public company, a plc, with shares bought and sold on the stock exchange. Exactly the sort of organisation that would apparently, according to some, make a jolly good job of running the NHS....................
 




GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,466
Gloucester
What about losing around 2/3's of admin, which, at the end of the day throttles the NHS coffers, like everything Govt.
Two thirds is too ambitious - some of it is actually needed! There is a lot that wouldn't be missed, though - a 20% cut is probably nearer the realistic mark (and yes, that would have included my old job in the NHS before I retired!)
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,983
Goldstone
Much of it is privatised anyway. Why don't we just rid ourselves of politicians and make a proper go of it?
How do you do that? Who decides what budget the health service gets each year - who decides where the money goes, to new drugs, to research, to palliative care, to old people, young people, etc etc - it's our tax money, who decides what to do with it?

This NHS under the Govt. is lost in the 1940s, they have no idea how to run, what is essentially, a business, people's health is a business, like it or hate it. Would we not be better off allowing experts to run it?[/QUOTE]It's not completely run by politicians, it is basically run by so-called experts. The people who run the primary care trusts are the so-called experts you speak of.
 




Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
Two thirds is too ambitious - some of it is actually needed! There is a lot that wouldn't be missed, though - a 20% cut is probably nearer the realistic mark (and yes, that would have included my old job in the NHS before I retired!)

My girlfriend is an admin in the NHS, so I have a teeny bit of inside knowledge. I worked for the MoJ for four years so I know the machinations of the civil service. It is nothing about being a vital job and all about keeping employment figures up. This is why I am saying take it out of politicians hands, unemployment may go up, but the NHS at frontline would gain from it.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
59,189
The Fatherland
The whole thing needs a rethink and needs properly costing and then funding. This latter point will mean higher NI though. In fact Id actually have a separate health NI payment.
 


Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
How do you do that? Who decides what budget the health service gets each year - who decides where the money goes, to new drugs, to research, to palliative care, to old people, young people, etc etc - it's our tax money, who decides what to do with it?

This NHS under the Govt. is lost in the 1940s, they have no idea how to run, what is essentially, a business, people's health is a business, like it or hate it. Would we not be better off allowing experts to run it? It's not completely run by politicians, it is basically run by so-called experts. The people who run the primary care trusts are the so-called experts you speak of.

Who decides on budgets and inventions in private businesses? I don't get your argument.
 



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