Just had to get this off my chest, as it seems to crop up time after time, in real life and on here, the question being this.
Do you think that people who, on a Friday or Sat night, and get stoned, or take drugs in such a quantity, and as a result have to be taken to Hospital to be treated, should pay for the treatment they recieve?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7.
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th July 2011 at 23:15
It isn’t always necessarily about you, Jim.
Yes, I agree so what about all these foreign people, like the Nigerian woman who applied for and was granted a Holiday permit for the U.K. and had been here only a short time when she gave birth to 6 children. She has it would appear, been given permission to stay here.Surly, this female should never been allowed to fly here by the airline in the first place, let alone use up our NHS resourses, and now no doubt the Taxpayer will have to cough up to keep her and her children here, in a fully furnished house etc. And this is only ONE case that has been in the papers recently.Is there any wonder the NHS is in a state of near meltdown?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Gooney Bird - 14th July 2011 at 20:42
Yes, but he also comes from a third world country!
By: Sky High - 14th July 2011 at 19:35
Gooney Bird – Chavez!:D
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th July 2011 at 18:25
The TV program was regarding it’s own Countries health service, not as being classed as a 3rd world Country, which we are well aware of.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Gooney Bird - 14th July 2011 at 18:08
Yes, but who wants to be treated in a third world country like Cuba!
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th July 2011 at 18:06
I watched a program on T.V. which was about the Health Care in CUBA. it would appear, anyone can walk into their G.Ps. surgery, without making an appointment, should the Dr deem his/her patient needs an operation, they can be admitted the same day, and in most cases operated on almost straight away.They, whoever they are, state it’s the best Healthcare system in the world.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Grey Area - 14th July 2011 at 18:02
It isn’t always necessarily about you, Jim.
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th July 2011 at 17:42
[QUOTE=kev35;1774007]Perhaps because, as stated, my problem may have been, but fortunately wasn’t, life threatening.
Why not go private? You have history.
Kev. Unfortunately, the Police Insurance ended when I was 65yrs of age. I couldn’t even think of the costs had I gone private for every Operation I have had. It would definately be in Lottery Winners terratory.And I would dread to think what the one I am waiting to have would cost.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: kev35 - 14th July 2011 at 17:14
The NHS is something we should all be able to take pride in, a physical manifestation of the basic decency and fairness that was once the hallmark of British society.
That should be the new mission statement for the NHS.
Regards,
kev35
By: Grey Area - 14th July 2011 at 17:05
The survey does indeed makes some encouraging noises but the sample was not large. I am sure if you asked 20 people at random you would have 20 different responses.
This is a fair point.
How many times have we seen “NHS-knockers” assemble similar anecdotal evidence to demonstrate that the NHS is an inefficient and ineffective juggernaut on the point of collapse?
I don’t think slagging off the NHS is in the same league as complaining about the weather. I think it is/has been slagged off because it has perfomed inconsistently and often poorly. And I am not even sure we hold it dear. We have no choice.
Some cannot afford the luxury of choice when it comes to healthcare.
The NHS is something we should all be able to take pride in, a physical manifestation of the basic decency and fairness that was once the hallmark of British society.
The past few governments have turned it into a political football and piggy bank for snake oil salesmen, and the real tragedy is that we have all sat idly by and watched it happen before our eyes.
By: Sky High - 14th July 2011 at 14:20
Yes, statistics are both helpful and unhelpful. I think the sample was 3,600 but I have deleted the page I was looking it. As you rightly say it is the quality of the sample not thee quantity but as impoortantly the question. Satisafaction surveys are ephemeralm beasts at the berst of times.
I don’t think slagging off the NHS is in the same league as complaining about the weather. I think it is/has been slagged off because it has perfomed inconsistently and often poorly. And I am not even sure we hold it dear. We have no choice.
By: Arthur Pewtey - 14th July 2011 at 13:52
Well that’s the problem with statistics isn’t it. I rather think that the sample size shouldn’t make that much difference – it is the quality of the sample that counts. I couldn’t find the sample size anyway
It does seem to be a national pastime though – moaning about the NHS. We seem to hold it very dear and yet do little except slag it off continually.
Even Cameron called it “second-rate” – must have been a great morale-booster that one.
By: Sky High - 14th July 2011 at 13:32
The survey does indeed makes some encouraging noises but the sample was not large. I am sure if you asked 20 people at random you would have 20 different responses.
The hard facts of waiting times for appointments and operations, quality of care for in-patients and successful outcomes of clinical procedures are all the matter.
Every political party has mismanaged the NHS and every political party has baulked at serious reform.
By: kev35 - 14th July 2011 at 13:30
Perhaps because, as stated, my problem may have been, but fortunately wasn’t, life threatening.
Why not go private? You have history.
Regards,
kev35
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th July 2011 at 13:21
[QUOTE=kev35;1773996]All I know is is that my beleaguered NHS, despite its many and varied faults, came to my rescue the other week.
Kev, I am genuinly pleased you were sorted out all within 3 weeks.This brings me back to the Post Code Lottery, why am I still waiting for an Op come one year, second week this August?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Arthur Pewtey - 14th July 2011 at 13:09
This is why overall spending on the NHS has increased year on year without delivering widespread and tangible benefits to the end user who, coincidentally, funds the whole shebang.
But isn’t it the case those involved either as patients or as employees have seen improvements – I know I have.
By: kev35 - 14th July 2011 at 13:05
All I know is is that my beleaguered NHS, despite its many and varied faults, came to my rescue the other week. Something I discovered that could have been life changing and even life threatening was examined, investigated and, thankfully, found to be not as sinister as first thought. I may well still have to face surgery, but the end result if necessary will be that I remain alive, if not quite so devastatingly handsome. All sorted within three weeks at no cost to me, care, free at the point of delivery which is how it was always intended to be.
Of course there are problems within the NHS. I’m glad it’s not my job to sort it out and bloody grateful that, as an institution, it’s still there doing its best to do the job it was created for.
Regards,
kev35
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th July 2011 at 12:50
Kev. Whilst I agree with most of what you say, you don’t know the full facts, the Insurance was provided by the Police Force I was with at the time, and I was suing, (and won) a very large well known Company. That is the one and only time I have ever gone Private.
The Consultant re the MRI scan was in the same room where the scanner was when my wife had her scan, so he was there.
I think it’s terrible that when I saw my “Expensive” plastic reconstruction surgeon, who charged £250.00 for a 10 min consultation, was on call, for NHS duty.
There are many areas in the NHS that need pruning, even an optomist like you Kev, can find things that need sorting out big time.
As regards question 3 if the MRIs are used when they are in “Down time” by Consultants private patients, how come my wife would have had to wait 9 months?. surely, this points to the fact that they are in full time use, the exception being downtime for maintainance etc.
I like your description of Insultants, remember my P.M. I sent you last night?. where the surgeon has ruined the knee and right thigh, and when pointed out, during a follow up appointment, casualy and very offhandedly stated simply, “We did that”
as if I should just accept it as a trade off.Some Insultants, (Sorry to use your description Kev, but it is very apt)think they can walk on water.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Grey Area - 14th July 2011 at 12:45
Of course not. Surely the general point is that the proportions of suited management to clinical staff and clinical managers has changed in recent years in favour of non-clinical staff.
And this is the crux of the issue.
Successive UK governments – Labour and Conservative – have meddled about with…. er, I mean “improved” the NHS, and each round of tinkering has brought with it new tiers of management and rank upon rank of private-sector management consultants eager to suck upon the NHS teat.
This is why overall spending on the NHS has increased year on year without delivering widespread and tangible benefits to the end user who, coincidentally, funds the whole shebang.
By: kev35 - 14th July 2011 at 12:27
Another interesting story of woe in the NHS Lincoln, but there ere many issues within it to consider.
1. Consultants don’t ‘DO’ MRI scans, they are carried out by imaging technicians.
2. Consultants may report on the scans themselves or may wait for a report from an imaging specialist.
3. How exactly did the hospital acquire their MRI scanner and how is the operation of the same funded? It might be that the NHS does not own the scanner but buys blocks of time. When the scanner is not in use by the NHS then it may be that it has to earn its keep as it were.
4. Was the consultant (though many I have known could be more properly called insultants) actually working for the NHS on the day of the scan? I find it somewhat boggling that a consultant surgeon would attend an MRI scan.
5. Consultants don’t all work full time for the NHS. Some do no private work whatsoever though I suspect they are few and far between. Some work a number of hours for the NHS and do private work at evenings or weekends. Some do a majority of private work and the odd few shifts for the NHS and others do no NHS work at all.
Do you not think it could be argued that by going for a private consultation you are doing more harm to the NHS? Creating a two tier system in which the haves get treatment while the have nots have to wait for nine months? It just seems odd that you vociferously defend the NHS while purchasing private care which is the very thing that wil ultimately destroy the NHS.
Regards,
kev35
Sign In
June 7, 2011 at 3:43 pm