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The NHS

Mary Dunsmore

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Oct 15, 2018
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UK (God save the Queen)
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If the US do ever decide to have their own version of the NHS, please take a leaf out of the UK book, and don't make the same mistakes. Firstly, a mixture of an ageing population and uncontrolled immigration has turned what was a reasonably efficient health care system into something that is pretty useless. Attempting to get a doctors appointment is close to impossible in most areas, the waiting list to see a specialist is at least three months, and depending on the operation you can wait well over a year. If you have a life threatening illness they tend to be a little better, but diagnosing the illness can take a while. I know we are shortly to leave the EU, but at present there is nothing to stop someone coming here from a third world EU country and demanding treatment. In theory people from non EU countries are meant to pay for their treatment, when in reality very few do. Requesting payment for treatment is almost an afterthought, and the NHS can't afford or have time to chase non payers. You see, it is the policy of the NHS to supply treatment on demand, and then worry about payment afterwards. In most other countries if you don't supply a credit card or an insurance document you just don't get seen.

A national health service is a good thing if your government have joined up thinking, ours don't !!
 
If the US do ever decide to have their own version of the NHS, please take a leaf out of the UK book, and don't make the same mistakes. Firstly, a mixture of an ageing population and uncontrolled immigration has turned what was a reasonably efficient health care system into something that is pretty useless. Attempting to get a doctors appointment is close to impossible in most areas, the waiting list to see a specialist is at least three months, and depending on the operation you can wait well over a year. If you have a life threatening illness they tend to be a little better, but diagnosing the illness can take a while. I know we are shortly to leave the EU, but at present there is nothing to stop someone coming here from a third world EU country and demanding treatment. In theory people from non EU countries are meant to pay for their treatment, when in reality very few do. Requesting payment for treatment is almost an afterthought, and the NHS can't afford or have time to chase non payers. You see, it is the policy of the NHS to supply treatment on demand, and then worry about payment afterwards. In most other countries if you don't supply a credit card or an insurance document you just don't get seen.

A national health service is a good thing if your government have joined up thinking, ours don't !!

Making this ever so much more fun is how this government then after failing at this day job works to micro-manage the lives of the citizens to improve their health they say...This government works overtime to be in charge.

The BDSM community has sure felt the charge.
 
If the US do ever decide to have their own version of the NHS, please take a leaf out of the UK book, and don't make the same mistakes. Firstly, a mixture of an ageing population

I agree that no one should do what has been done to the once proud NHS... but the reasonings you are giving are absolutely bull****. The reason the NHS is so crap today, is because of attempted privatization by Maggie Thatcher and the Tories for the last 30 years.. they were trying to move the UK towards a US style healthcare and are STILL trying. As for the aging population, well duh that is happening everywhere and is a pathetic excuse. Funny enough it also contradicts your next point.. since a huge portion of healthcare is used by 60+ year olds..

and uncontrolled immigration has turned what was a reasonably efficient health care system into something that is pretty useless.

It aint the migration that is the problem. In fact if it was not for the migration and the massive tax income and personal that they provide the NHS, the NHS would have gone down long ago. Migrants work, and pay taxes.. that pay for the NHS. Migrants are also relatively young and not sick, which means they dont need the NHS.

It is miss management by especially the Tory party and its stupid attempts to privatize the system for their rich donors that has caused the problems of today. There are 109000 available jobs in the NHS as we speak, but because of the Tory party immigrants are now not applying anymore which mean the NHS will only get worse.

Attempting to get a doctors appointment is close to impossible in most areas, the waiting list to see a specialist is at least three months, and depending on the operation you can wait well over a year.

I aint English, but I know that this is bull****. Doctor appointments are easy to get. As for seeing a specialist, yes that takes time and so what? If you dont want to wait, then you can pay for it yourself. Operations are like in any UHC system prioritized based on need, not wealth. Or do you want a system like the American where a wealthy drunk can get a new liver ahead of a poor young person?

know we are shortly to leave the EU, but at present there is nothing to stop someone coming here from a third world EU country and demanding treatment.

And guess what, that will continue after you leave the EU, because guess what... people coming from the 3rd world HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EU! It is yet again failed Tory immigration policy.. instead of focusing on the EU all the time, they should have done something to stop the migration from the former colonies.. but naw, lets blame the hard working and tax paying Poles instead for all the problems of the UK.

theory people from non EU countries are meant to pay for their treatment, when in reality very few do. Requesting payment for treatment is almost an afterthought, and the NHS can't afford or have time to chase non payers.

And who's fault is that? Not the EU.. but in fact the UK government.. And the NHS does not chase non payers because it is often cheaper to just let it be... oh and most countries actually do that... unless they require payment up front for non life threating issues.

You see, it is the policy of the NHS to supply treatment on demand, and then worry about payment afterwards. In most other countries if you don't supply a credit card or an insurance document you just don't get seen.

Yes and it is the policy of every UHC system to supply treatment on demand if that demand is critical. If it is non critical then you have to pay up front, and guess what.. that does happen in the UK as well.

And if you think for one second that anyone wants to be a medical tourist in the UK.. HAHAH, yea right. Brits come to Spain and France for quicker and better treatment...
 
So many lies I don't know where to start. An EU citizen can't just come over here and get free healthcare; they have to be resident. I can also usually get an appointment with my GP on the same day.
 
The NHS is a good reminder that low per capita health spending isn't inherently a good thing. Sometimes spending more can be good! Just depends where a society wants to devote its resources.
 
Heavens, somebody who knows so much about the UK but lives in Denmark. Well, where do we start.

1. Blaming a Thatcher government on the present problems is futile, as there have been numerous governments since (blue or red) who could have made any necessary changes. You are quoting the ageing population naming NHS workers being over 60. I would hardly describe that as old.

2. Migrants, ummm. Yes we have loads of "migrants" working in the NHS, but if we didn't have so many living here then perhaps we wouldn't need so many working in the NHS. Makes sense really. You have now mentioned NHS privatisation twice, when in reality there isn't any. I for one believe there is a place for such action, but in reality the lefties will never let it happen.

3. You think it is easy to get a doctors appointment do you? Perhaps in some areas it is, where I live it is ridiculous. We did have an internet system, but this was done away with, and why I don't know. You have to stand in line outside the surgery in order you can see an unqualified receptionist who decides whether or not you can have an appointment. The surgery opens at 8.30am, but if your not there at 7.30am you can forget it. My friend stood in line with his seven year old son at 7.30am and got seen by a doctor at 11am. Yes, yes it's really easy to get an appointment here.

4. Yes, we agree that the NHS should chase payment for foreign non payers, but how is this possible after they have gone home to their respective countries? Perhaps refusing them treatment at the point of arrival is the answer, but I am sure this would shock you.

It would appear your problem hasn't got anything to with the NHS, it's your hatred of the Conservative party. It may shock you, but I am not a Tory voter, and I am certainly not a voter of the Labour party. My politics is based on common sense, and not an allegiance with a political party.

I don't have an over night answer to the NHS problem, but it would be nice if the government (regardless of the colour) could look the problem in face and and make the necessary decisions to improve it. The less educated of us think the answer is to tax the ar5e off of people and throw endless amounts of cash at it. Well, firstly it wouldn't work because the NHS is a bottomless pit, and secondly they would stand no chance of a second period in parliament, and may well get chucked out half way through. You see, socialism has never worked in the UK, and I feel fairly confident it never will.

Your final statement refers to Brits travelling to other EU countries for treatment, where indeed it is better. However, they can not march into a Spanish hospital with a British passport and demand expensive treatment free of charge. Any treatment they receive has to go through a financial process, and eventually the UK pays the bill. This is the correct process, but unfortunately one the NHS has failed to carry out in reverse. I should also mention that the amount of UK citizens travelling abroad for treatment is minuscule compared to those coming here.
 
So many lies I don't know where to start. An EU citizen can't just come over here and get free healthcare; they have to be resident. I can also usually get an appointment with my GP on the same day.

Please let me know where you live, because a doctors appointment where I live is as rare as a one legged dodo. So an EU citizen just can't come over here and have NHS treatment. I would kindly ask you to sit in any doctors waiting room in any large town or city and listen to the accents and languages of the patients. I think you may then change your mind. The NHS policy is to never refuse a patient at the point of application, and then to worry about payment there after.
 
Please let me know where you live, because a doctors appointment where I live is as rare as a one legged dodo. So an EU citizen just can't come over here and have NHS treatment. I would kindly ask you to sit in any doctors waiting room in any large town or city and listen to the accents and languages of the patients. I think you may then change your mind. The NHS policy is to never refuse a patient at the point of application, and then to worry about payment there after.

I live in the UK. And yes, non-resident EU citizens are not eligible for free healthcare, they have to pay.
 
Heavens, somebody who knows so much about the UK but lives in Denmark. Well, where do we start.

1. Blaming a Thatcher government on the present problems is futile, as there have been numerous governments since (blue or red) who could have made any necessary changes. You are quoting the ageing population naming NHS workers being over 60. I would hardly describe that as old.

2. Migrants, ummm. Yes we have loads of "migrants" working in the NHS, but if we didn't have so many living here then perhaps we wouldn't need so many working in the NHS. Makes sense really. You have now mentioned NHS privatisation twice, when in reality there isn't any. I for one believe there is a place for such action, but in reality the lefties will never let it happen.

3. You think it is easy to get a doctors appointment do you? Perhaps in some areas it is, where I live it is ridiculous. We did have an internet system, but this was done away with, and why I don't know. You have to stand in line outside the surgery in order you can see an unqualified receptionist who decides whether or not you can have an appointment. The surgery opens at 8.30am, but if your not there at 7.30am you can forget it. My friend stood in line with his seven year old son at 7.30am and got seen by a doctor at 11am. Yes, yes it's really easy to get an appointment here.

4. Yes, we agree that the NHS should chase payment for foreign non payers, but how is this possible after they have gone home to their respective countries? Perhaps refusing them treatment at the point of arrival is the answer, but I am sure this would shock you.

It would appear your problem hasn't got anything to with the NHS, it's your hatred of the Conservative party. It may shock you, but I am not a Tory voter, and I am certainly not a voter of the Labour party. My politics is based on common sense, and not an allegiance with a political party.

I don't have an over night answer to the NHS problem, but it would be nice if the government (regardless of the colour) could look the problem in face and and make the necessary decisions to improve it. The less educated of us think the answer is to tax the ar5e off of people and throw endless amounts of cash at it. Well, firstly it wouldn't work because the NHS is a bottomless pit, and secondly they would stand no chance of a second period in parliament, and may well get chucked out half way through. You see, socialism has never worked in the UK, and I feel fairly confident it never will.

Your final statement refers to Brits travelling to other EU countries for treatment, where indeed it is better. However, they can not march into a Spanish hospital with a British passport and demand expensive treatment free of charge. Any treatment they receive has to go through a financial process, and eventually the UK pays the bill. This is the correct process, but unfortunately one the NHS has failed to carry out in reverse. I should also mention that the amount of UK citizens travelling abroad for treatment is minuscule compared to those coming here.

Pete's overall assessment (He's Danish but doesn't live there) is more accurate than yours. Which part of St Petersburg do you live in?
 
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