Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,705
You are both right to an extent - yes GPs time is wasted by people who could get a quicker (and cheaper for the NHS) answer by talking to the chemist or phoning 111.
Also too many people trip off to A&E for things that their doctors surgery or a minor injuries clinic could easily resolve.
And sometimes people are sent home too early resulting in additional treatment that could have been avoided.
Finally, too much NHS funding is wasted, either through bad procurement deals, or management waste (at national & trust level), or using agency staff rather than addressing the underlying causes of staff retention problems, or dishing out medication that is not needed or used, or even on procedures that are elective and therefore should be funded by the individual, or failing to charge non-eu residents for their treatment.
The NHS has served the UK well since its inception and none but the most cold hearted wants a return of the pre-war days of paying for any and all treatment, but other than the most blinkered there is a need for change.
Long term care for those with chronic health issues or mental health issues is yet another drain not only on hospitals, but also the ambulance and police service - this is the area where a different possibly more community (and dare I say it - not for profit) approach is required. the current provision for these health issues patently is not working.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,070
73%would pay more to save the NHS says an exclusive Mirror poll. Why don't you ask whether you'd like to spend the money wisely instead? Fifteen hundred quid for a pot of moisturising cream or whatever it is that you can get for two quid at Boots?
http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/nick-ferrari/couldnt-run-a-company-like-this-nick-ferrari-nhs/Paul M and Jan Higgins like this
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,875
I hope BenjiB reads that link Captain:
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,070
'Our' wonderful NHS - the envy of the world!
I believe Harold Shipman scored quite well on 'care process' and 'equity' to!
Cancer survival rates 10 years behind other European countries
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/24/uk-cancer-survival-rates-trail-10-years-behind-those-in-european-countries
And the 'obvious' solution is just throwing even more money at the fourth largest employer in the world?
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,070
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,705
A few observations
1. clearly the issue facing the NHS (per the above table) is poor outcomes - so the focus must be on improving this without changing other things
2. Throwing money at the problem generally does not work to improve things
3. Listening to and tailoring services to fit the needs of the local community is important in improving outcomes as this gives a sense of ownership and involvement. There is plenty of evidence that this has a positive impact on outcomes.
4. Perhaps we should consider an even greater community involvement through moving non core services to social enterprises who are based in local communities, employing locals to deliver services to locals and driven by service needs not profits. (This could/should also includes such things as residential care and some social service provision).
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 1881- Registered: 16 Oct 2016
- Posts: 1,071
Agreed about the racketeers ripping off the health service. Remember the Canadian Pharmaceutical that escalated the £4 drug to £250+ quid over the course of 10 years?
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/nov/21/drug-firm-concordia-overcharged-nhs-with-6000-price-rise
Let's all be careful not to label the NHS per se as flagrant wasting money. The medical employees at the coal-face plus many of the auxiliaries are far from ripping off the tax payer.
There is plenty to change in the procurement process, the PFI nonsense, the racketeers and quangoes that are only in it for the money, and the charlatans such as Mr Branson that sues the NHS for millions when he doesn't get the answer he wants. If that's what you mean be spending more wisely then we are on the same page.
For the record, I'd pay more for the NHS but I would still the above to happen.
howard mcsweeney1 likes this
Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,070
PFI nonsense? The state owns NO hospitals in Holland, where health outcomes far superior to NHS and access universal.
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
