Anyone NOT got private health insurance?

[BrilloPad]

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...ts-excess-skin

[SueEllen]

My surgery in UK has 11,000 patrons and had 5 docs, one is serious ill and two have left, so two docs for 11,000 folks. They say they've tried home and abroad but nowt.

Seems to run ok, I always get seen reasonably quickly...

I was talking about hospital referrals - they can be a nightmare depending on what you have.

[contractorinatractor]

Daughter got referral last month from GP to see pediatrician in NHS hospital. Wait time 3 months, called private hospital, could have appointment next day.

Why is this a surprise? Numerous posters on here boasted of voting tory at the last election, plus the previous election. Their mantra has always been to benefit their business friends. You're experiencing what was intended: the dismantling of good quality NHS service. As with all hospitals, the odd mistakes were made here and there. A private hospital will not refuse you, primarily because they are encouraged to offer service, surgery and friendliness which makes you feel that it's a better overall service. Feelings are not facts and are not to be trusted.

If you mention PFI and old centrist Labour from 1997 onwards, I would agree with you entirely it was a wrong move on their part.

I question whether we live in a true meritocracy - we are becoming more like the US as the days go by, much to our shame.
I'm now on a very high day rate, paying a large SATR bill, whilst the funding has increased in certain unnecessary areas, whilst health takes a nosedive thanks to hospitals having to compete with private companies in their own tenders. It is absurd.

'Consumer confidence' is now almost exclusively the metric for: appetite for personal debt. Yes, there's a fiscal deficit, but what sort of country purposefully lets its schools and hospitals fail; the core of society, to the detriment of the majority?

The UK and most of its inhabitants are obsessed with cheapening services. Having high standards is viewed as unusual and an insult to their right: basic services.

I notice our tax bills haven't got lighter over the past twenty years. Can the high day-raters here explain why you put up with this crap? Excluding family ties, I see less and less reason to stay and contribute to this country. The quality of living, index of happiness, press freedom index - in fact almost all useful metrics, show the UK as declining in prosperity and quality of living for the past twenty years.

No Daily Mail or Daily Express article can surely compensate for the stark realisation that there is better on offer elsewhere?

[cryptonoob]

I've had good experiences recently. I can get to see a GP same day.

[BlasterBates]

Why is this a surprise? Numerous posters on here boasted of voting tory at the last election, plus the previous election. Their mantra has always been to benefit their business friends. You're experiencing what was intended: the dismantling of good quality NHS service. As with all hospitals, the odd mistakes were made here and there. A private hospital will not refuse you, primarily because they are encouraged to offer service, surgery and friendliness which makes you feel that it's a better overall service. Feelings are not facts and are not to be trusted.

If you mention PFI and old centrist Labour from 1997 onwards, I would agree with you entirely it was a wrong move on their part.

I question whether we live in a true meritocracy - we are becoming more like the US as the days go by, much to our shame.
I'm now on a very high day rate, paying a large SATR bill, whilst the funding has increased in certain unnecessary areas, whilst health takes a nosedive thanks to hospitals having to compete with private companies in their own tenders. It is absurd.

'Consumer confidence' is now almost exclusively the metric for: appetite for personal debt. Yes, there's a fiscal deficit, but what sort of country purposefully lets its schools and hospitals fail; the core of society, to the detriment of the majority?

The UK and most of its inhabitants are obsessed with cheapening services. Having high standards is viewed as unusual and an insult to their right: basic services.

I notice our tax bills haven't got lighter over the past twenty years. Can the high day-raters here explain why you put up with this crap? Excluding family ties, I see less and less reason to stay and contribute to this country. The quality of living, index of happiness, press freedom index - in fact almost all useful metrics, show the UK as declining in prosperity and quality of living for the past twenty years.

No Daily Mail or Daily Express article can surely compensate for the stark realisation that there is better on offer elsewhere?

One of the problems is that these days a lot of high earners are dodging tax and National Insurance, the government needs to clamp down to make sure they pay their fair share.

[contractorinatractor]

One of the problems is that these days a lot of high earners are dodging tax and National Insurance, the government needs to clamp down to make sure they pay their fair share.

Since the 2008 financial crash the finances have trended upwards towards the very few in society. The Tories seem ok with this, judging by their inaction.

It's fair to argue that closing loopholes or fixing it now doesn't really matter, as the damage has already been done.

The only party offering a solution seems to be Labour. I would prefer a hybrid solution, but due to the archaic style of party politics in the UK one is not currently on offer.

[mattfx]

The only party offering a solution seems to be Labour. I would prefer a hybrid solution, but due to the archaic style of party politics in the UK one is not currently on offer.

As I was saying to one of the permies here earlier - The only thing that scares me more than a Corbyn lead government is to not have any change in Westminster. Honestly I am not sure which would be worse, but to get one outcome you have to suffer the other.

Damned if you do, Damned if you don't.

[darmstadt]

No...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Germany

[BrilloPad]

Since the 2008 financial crash the finances have trended upwards towards the very few in society. The Tories seem ok with this, judging by their inaction.

It's fair to argue that closing loopholes or fixing it now doesn't really matter, as the damage has already been done.

The only party offering a solution seems to be Labour. I would prefer a hybrid solution, but due to the archaic style of party politics in the UK one is not currently on offer.

Inequality has been rising since 1933.

Labour had their chance 1997-2010. Things got worse.

The issue is people voting for the 2 main parties.

[d000hg]

So what to people here pay for their UK private healthcare? I've been tempted on and off by private dental but that's about it.