Don't Give Up On World-class NHS Free At The Point Of Use

[Richard Solomon]

Before totally giving up on a Nationalised Health Service might I suggest one last attempt to alter for the better the working patterns, practice and customs that are at the heart of many capacity issues within the NHS?

Turnaround at the cultural level requires a courageous leadership that issues more than rhetorical 3 letter ‘NHS’ mission statements. It requires deeds from policymakers that show respect for and instils a passion in the 1+ million NHS staff & consultants entrusted with healthcare delivery.

Towards this end I have asked those at the top, the policymakers themselves, to sign a health petition that asks MPs to lead by example. I have asked them to always use the NHS in their own medical treatment.

The actual petition asks that ‘elected representatives of all UK political parties voluntarily refrain from self-paid or insurance-paid medical care treatment.'

Change for the better may be possible if those at the frontline of the NHS know that their leaders respect and depend on their services not just for minor ailments but serious illness as well.

To date 51 MPs have already signed the Petition.

Might I suggest that you and the general public lobby your MP to always use the NHS by visiting www.ourpetition.org, where you can also view the full list of MP signatories?

Let’s not give up hope at building a world-class NHS free at the point of delivery, at least not yet.

Richard Solomon
OurPetition.org

[craigwalsh]

Hi, Richard ---

What a great idea. Thank you for letting me know about your online petition. I've signed it, and have forward the information on to pretty much everyone else I know in the UK.

I have submitted formal complaints about my treatment at the NHS hospital and NHS GP "out of hour" service, and am waiting to hear the formal outcome on these complaints. My wife, Marjorie, asked me the other day, "What do you want from the NHS?"

And my solicitor, reading about my problems, pointed out that it was his job to tell me that I could always sue the NHS for damages. He told me about all of the problems in suing the NHS, but said that it could be done --- and could be done successfully.

But I don't want the grief of a lawsuit. And I don't really want money from the NHS.

Which brings me back to Marjorie's question. Before even hearing about your petition, I thought that what I want is to be treated by the NHS as they would treat Tony Blair. Heck, I want the NHS to treat everyone as though they were the Prime Minister.

To a large extent MP's have inflicted the current NHS upon us, using our taxes to fund it. I think it should be mandatory for MP's to be treated by the NHS. :o

Good luck the petition. Please let us know how it all works out.

[gp2]

Tony Blair wastreated by NHS, but so quickly that he must wonder why anyone complains!

[davewirral]

I still think there must be a lot wrong with the NHS.

I just don't understand why the UK has the highest paid doctors in Europe yet has the longest waiting lists and highest levels of MRSA in hospitals.:confused:

[Sudha Shenoy]

Of course whenour political masters use the NHS they will get the finest treatment in the best hospitals immediately -- exactly as happened with Tony Blair. And they won't have to pay a penny for it: as he didn't. How can all this help us poor helots? That's the whole problem: status counts.

Interesting that in Oz even pensioners can get excellent _private_ hospital care, through private funds -- at very reasonable cost: even pensioners can afford the fees to the fund. Why can't this happen in Britain?

[NiceLife]

The NHS is a campaign feature for the Labour Party. It has lost the difference between their voters and its employees. The NHS is run on the cheap - it over-promises to voters, who unconciously recognise they get something for nothing and assuage any guilt by praising to heaven NHS staff whilst being unwilling or unable to pay for them.

The NHS costs around £100bn - no-one understands that amount of money
Its about £1000 per head of population a year.

Except a third of the population depend on state benefits and pay nothing for it. The cash squeeze is a rip-off of anyone who works. they pay for their own needs then every one elses.

Why is the NHS "political"? Go figure.

[mistythecat]

Time for the Government to allow people to withdraw from the NHS when they earn over a certain figure. The NHS is a faceless mess if you are a consumer paying through the nose but have no choice of GP and cannot direct your own health care. Pathetic.

Keep the NHS for those who have an inability to pay for private cover. Let the rest of us go into a regulated private market. Keep half my contribution to pay for the poor but let me out! Why am I paying for those who don't even care about their own heath?

[mistythecat]

The NHS is a campaign feature for the Labour Party. It has lost the difference between their voters and its employees. The NHS is run on the cheap - it over-promises to voters, who unconciously recognise they get something for nothing and assuage any guilt by praising to heaven NHS staff whilst being unwilling or unable to pay for them.

The NHS costs around £100bn - no-one understands that amount of money
Its about £1000 per head of population a year.

Except a third of the population depend on state benefits and pay nothing for it. The cash squeeze is a rip-off of anyone who works. they pay for their own needs then every one elses.

Why is the NHS "political"? Go figure.


Keep the £1000. Consider it a bribe to let me out of the NHS to go private. Thus, I will be paying for one unemployed person or pensioner! Give me my £2500 left over to leave and take care of myself! I know what the NHS costs me, and it is one large waste. Allow it to provide emergency care, and restrict all other service for those with an inability to pay or contribute to society. I want out.

One middle class voter!

[mistythecat]

Of course whenour political masters use the NHS they will get the finest treatment in the best hospitals immediately -- exactly as happened with Tony Blair. And they won't have to pay a penny for it: as he didn't. How can all this help us poor helots? That's the whole problem: status counts.

Interesting that in Oz even pensioners can get excellent _private_ hospital care, through private funds -- at very reasonable cost: even pensioners can afford the fees to the fund. Why can't this happen in Britain?

I grew up in Australia and paid private. The care is way about anything I have experienced in the UK.

Reasons why it works-
1. People can opt out of state care (except for emergencies and some specialist care)
2. If you opt out, the law means you have to ensure private in a very regulated private market that does not allow the insurance companies to pick and choose clients
3. You can take a proportion of your state contribution from Medicare to go private and help pay for it, more than halving your cost of private care.
4. The state contracts private hospitals in some areas to provide state care and the inspection process is rigid
5. Anyone can go to a doctor anytime, with 24 hour clinics everywhere or your local GP
6. Consumers have choice, doctors work for consumers (within reason)
7. There is lots of competition between private providers
8. Every citizen has rights to immediate, high quality, emergency care (roughly the same as in the UK)

[paul]

Time for the Government to allow people to withdraw from the NHS when they earn over a certain figure. The NHS is a faceless mess if you are a consumer paying through the nose but have no choice of GP and cannot direct your own health care. Pathetic.

Keep the NHS for those who have an inability to pay for private cover. Let the rest of us go into a regulated private market. Keep half my contribution to pay for the poor but let me out! Why am I paying for those who don't even care about their own heath?

This would spell disaster for the NHS as it has done in some sink schools and housing estates. If the middle class articulate people abandon the NHS and make their own arrangements only the poor and stupid would use the NHS and there would be no-one like Craig to speak up for them and maintain standards. You might have noticed the standards at the politicians own NHS hospital are pretty high (St Thomas'). No need for them to go private to secure the best treatment.
Paul
www.uk-radiology.co.uk

[jenny]

I'm sorry but with the best will in the world, the medical care given by the NHS is not "world class". There are, it is true, instances of excellent medical care. However, if we want to look at high class systems of medical care, I really do not think that the NHS these days features among them.