N.H.S safe in Labour hands

[STEED]

Nurses told: Work for no pay (http://www.express.co.uk/news_detail.html?sku=1112)

Labour claims it's pouring money into the N.H.S but it's clear that money is not getting to where it's needed. The N.H.S is slowly falling apart which is a dreadful thing to witness.

[Kapitan]

Perhapse if they said we will relieve a percentage of tax from you if you pay for your medicle treatment.
but those not wishing to pay should pay a bit more tax to help the deficit.

So i think 90% would say ok pay for our treatment then you could abolish the NHS.

[STEED]

If you want to pay there's BUPA. ;)

[AJ!]

There have been problems in the NHS for quite some time. The Budget to keep it all together is just becoming too great now... Many other factors like the army have also expressed concerns in lack of budget, while much of this cash is being waisted on benefit abusers and soon to be new Coupons for Drug addicts..... :-?

[Kapitan]

We should just get rid of the NHS and wipe the debt off that way we can then have alot of spare cash.

[STEED]

I used to work for the N.H.S over ten years ago and I can tell you the managers had a new car every six months to a year, far to much money is wasted in admin on all these chief's with fancy titles. Granted there is other areas where the money is wasted and this government just will not stop the wast.

[The Munster]

We [the People] know that and they [the government] know that yet it still carries on ?!

[STEED]

We [the People] know that and they [the government] know that yet it still carries on ?!

And that's why nothing will ever be done about it. :nope:

[Sailor Steve]

You know there are folks here in the colonies who hold up your N.H.S. as a shining example of how we should do it.

[bradclark1]

You know there are folks here in the colonies who hold up your N.H.S. as a shining example of how we should do it.
I think thats the Canadian system.

[jumpy]

My dear old Ma, a retired Senior nursing sister SRN, who used to be in charge of several wards and operating theatres for 20 years in various different hospitals, finds the who business of the NHS sickening.
In her own words:

"Let the Doctors, Nurses and Consultants run the hospitals, not the damn bean counters!"

The nhs is a great idea, we pay for it out of our National Insurance contributions (for you yanks, that's part of the tax deducted by the inland revenue from your salary/wage), however due to what would appear to be excessive use of management and middle management for several decades the funding for new hospitals, equipment and trained staff who can actually afford to join and remain in the profession are now so far behind what we need them to be that the nhs needs a miracle, if nothing else.

Though I understand there to be serious and deeply ingrained problems with the nhs I would rather have an antiquated and inefficient service than none at all.
Do you guys over the pond have to pay for all of your medical treatment out of your own pocket as and when you need it, or is there some kind of 'welfare' in this respect to help out those who are too poor to afford decent medical care for themselves? - I have heard lost of stories about how hospitals won't treat a person because their medical insurance is not paid up... is that just bs?

Sadly I can see the nhs going the same way as the state pension in the UK; by the time I am old and decrepit and in need of more regular medical care there will be no provision for those past retirement age to afford anything but the most cursory care. It's all very well for people to say 'start saving whilst you're young and get a private pension/healthcare insurance whilst you can' but I don't actually know anyone in my group of friends who can afford to put any money aside for such a thing. Besides, if you invest money in a company or state pension scheme, what's to stop some unscrupulous directors or chancellor of the exchequer coming along and stealing all of it for a new Jaguar car or villa in Spain?

The mismanagement of the NHS is one of the reasons my mum left work in the first place- after starting work with the St. Johns Ambulance service at 16, then going on to study to be a nurse and to finally reach the highest position of her nursing career as a senior nursing sister, she reached a point when she just couldn't be bothered trying to make things better in the face of constant adversity.
As far as she's concerned nothing has changed and standards of care have fallen even lower.
She went for a hysterectomy about 8 years ago and was appalled at the state of hygiene in the room she was in and I can't say I blame her- there was dust on the window ledges and on top of the bedside lockers, plastic sterile instrument wrappers discarded under the bed... if it had been her ward then whomever was responsible for the cleaning would have been chewed out in front of the entire shift and made to do the most basic remedial duties under the close supervision of the ward sister or other senior member of staff.
Another thing she didn't like was being addressed by her christian name. Being old-skool in her attitude to hospital standards and discipline she found this to be symptomatic of the lack of care and drive to perfection and high standards in the nhs today. "If the damn wards were cleaned properly and patient isolation where infectious bacteria and communicable diseases are concerned was maintained, then 'super-bugs' wouldn't be such a serious issue. And I wish to be addressed as Mrs. Jump, thank you."
Hehe, she's such an old trooper, back in her day the hospital was run with military efficiency and hierarchical discipline at the core of patient care and woe betide you if you stepped out of line or made a foolish mistake more than once. I have to say I am entirely in agreement with her. For the most part.

[Bellman]

Well if you only read right-wing press youre views will be skewed. This story was originated by the BNP (British National Party)

http://www.bnp.org.uk/reg_showarticle.php?contentID=1850

One swallow........;)

[jumpy]

That may be so, but it doesn't change the fact the the nhs is in a right old state or that nurses and junior doctors get a bum deal both with pay and hours worked overtime.
This was kind of always the case, but in the last years it has got worse apparently.
Poor old nhs, she's like an old dog that messes on the carpet when you come down in the morning. You ought to be really cross but you know the old dear really can't help it. So you clean up and go visit that smug vet who charges 30 quid per consultation and he tells you it's going to get more expensive to keep her healthy the older she gets :lol: you don't like it but you pay up anyway, it's the family pet after all.

[STEED]

We had a saying back when I worked in the N.H.S too many bureaucrats chiefs and not enough working Indians. And that still stands today.

Bellman you can read the socialist side here but you have to pay a subscription for it. ;)
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index2.php/ex/examples

[The Munster]

Jumpy, from what you describe your Ma, the word 'Matron' comes to mind [Hattie Jacques ?], the Tories bundled them out and when Labour came into power, there was a public outcry for the return of the Matron [and yes, the NHS was in a shambles way back then !].
Unfortunately..
1. On some points to suit themselves, the Labour Party has a policy of 'if it ain't broke, we ain't gonna try to fix it'
2. They don't think the NHS is 'broken'.

BTW, in regards to a Private Pension Scheme i.e. superannuation .. our works pension department has advised us to add more voluntarily has it won't be enough if and when I reach retirement age. Slap in the Face or what ?

[jumpy]

Jumpy, from what you describe your Ma, the word 'Matron' comes to mind

Spot on, chap.

I might suggest a ballaclava and a sawn-off-shotgun as a solution to the voluntary pension contributions? Preferably directed at the bosses retirement fund because I bet a penny to a pound that they are well provisioned for their early retirement :arrgh!: