Privatisation of the NHS

[Panthino the Moth]

I'm interested in what people think of this. Labour is planning to bring in 'private sector expertise and management skills' to help the NHS. Is Labour becoming more Tory in its attitude towards the NHS? The TUC has expressed their displeasure at Labour's plans.

The private sector already runs most residential homes for the eldery, and around half of all meium secure units for the mentally illl. Around 75m per year is spent treating patients in private hospitals (when the NHS does not have the capacity to treat them).

I'm worried about how far Labour will go on this, especially with 'private control'. Opinions, anyone?  

[Invictus_88]

There is certainly a place for the private sector in the NHS, but wholesale privatisation is certainly not the way forward.

Hard times, and set to get harder. If the NHS can lean on the private sector without dropping standards or bankrupting itself, then it should be duty-bound to do so.  

[Mr. Bono Vox]

Invictus_88

There is certainly a place for the private sector in the NHS, but wholesale privatisation is certainly not the way forward.

Hard times, and set to get harder. If the NHS can lean on the private sector without dropping standards or bankrupting itself, then it should be duty-bound to do so.

If there wasn't such a waste with regard to drugs and admin spending we wouldn't need to prop our health service up with private money. Labour seem to be content with messing up the health service and refusing to cut back on unneeded and unwanted admin jobs.  

[and_solo_said]

'But I want all the latest, most expensive, largely untested drugs pumped into my fat goddamn arse right now. I don't care that the long term effects aren't known, but bloody well test them if you must! Oh, and don't even think about testing them on people. Use animals are cell cultures that give little indication of the actual effects or I'll take you to European court and have you wiping the puss from my exploded sores up with the judge's wig.'  

[A Lost Iguana]

I wonder, you know, we could fire all the adminstrators and let the medical staff take on all the admin duties. rolleyes

Though, how exactly does a hospital assess predicted spending for a year?  

[Panthino the Moth]

I can just see it now-
"Right, we'll have twenty heart attacks- oh, no, better make it nineteen, that budget's been cut again. Better bring down the numberof cancer cases, too, just to even things out."

And when you ring for an ambulance-
"And when is a convenient time for me to have my heart attack?"
"Well, sir, it's a busy night tonight. How about... Tuesday next? Four PM all right?"
"Fine. I'll see you then."  

[Mr. Bono Vox]

A Lost Iguana

I wonder, you know, we could fire all the adminstrators and let the medical staff take on all the admin duties. rolleyes

Though, how exactly does a hospital assess predicted spending for a year?

No one is saying that, but if we contiune to lay off nurses on the front line we will end up with more admins than nurses.  

[Mr. Bono Vox]

Panthino the Moth

I can just see it now-
"Right, we'll have twenty heart attacks- oh, no, better make it nineteen, that budget's been cut again. Better bring down the numberof cancer cases, too, just to even things out."

And when you ring for an ambulance-
"And when is a convenient time for me to have my heart attack?"
"Well, sir, it's a busy night tonight. How about... Tuesday next? Four PM all right?"
"Fine. I'll see you then."

What is the point you are trying to make? If your going to even make a point be clear about it, don't dance around it.  

[A Lost Iguana]

Mr. Bono Vox

No one is saying that, but if we contiune to lay off nurses on the front line we will end up with more admins than nurses.

Medical staff numbers are not being cut [what is actually happening is that trainee nurses are not being able to find jobs, that is not a cut no matter how it is spun in the media]. The cuts were to clerical and administrative staff and not to nurses or doctors.  

[SiX sHaDes oF hElL]

Blair is fairly right-wing though, for Labour, isn't he? Because he seems fairly keen on the military, and he doesn't mind the Queen - although Cherie does.  

[Invictus_88]

A Lost Iguana

Mr. Bono Vox

No one is saying that, but if we contiune to lay off nurses on the front line we will end up with more admins than nurses.

Medical staff numbers are not being cut [what is actually happening is that trainee nurses are not being able to find jobs, that is not a cut no matter how it is spun in the media]. The cuts were to clerical and administrative staff and not to nurses or doctors.

Hm, almost.

They can't find jobs because the NHS Trusts are not being allowed the moeny to hire them. They are also being forbidden from hiring agency workers.

This has left quite a few hospitals short-staffed as regards nurses. Or rather, I assume so, because that's certainly how it is in Wiltshire.  

[A Lost Iguana]

Invictus_88

They can't find jobs because the NHS Trusts are not being allowed the moeny to hire them. They are also being forbidden from hiring agency workers.

That was essentially what I was trying to get across. Medical staff are not being made redundant [that is the clerical and admin staff] but new, much needed, nurses are not being hired.

It, in the wonderfully murky of politics, to be quite clear about things. >_>

Here's the hypothetical question. If NHS trusts are not able to hire nurses and are cutting away jobs already, how is one to reduce taxes without drastically reducing spending in key areas? Who would lose out?  

[Emmanuela]

I'm just glad I live next to one of the best hospitals in the coutry, Addinbrookes! Hmm, don't the governemt realise that the whole system is being ruined due to politics and they're not actually worrying about our health. Has anybody read Dawin's Children by Greg Bear? It shows what happens when politics gets to messed up in health and science.

The privite sector should not have full control over the NHS, it's the same with privitisation of education. Soon all our children will be taught by religious fanatics telling them that God made the world and that the reason why you're dieing in hopital with MS even though you're only ten, is that the government is spending all the money on war and other pointless aims, instead of caring about your health, but this is ok as God made it happen. Just be lucky you got a chance at life even though it is going to be taken away so soon and you have ever had a chance to grow up, be happy and make your own life, and that you'll die in pain becuase of those selfish buggers at the top having fun with their secretaries getting drunk, taking drugs, but it's all ok, as it's what God want, because He loves you.

I think not. I have very strong oppinions!