NHS free at point of delivery for everyone?

[sasguru]

Interestingly the doctor interviewed said that a full 50% of her A&E cases were alcohol related. That's taking the piss.

I think my idea of charging drunks would soon concentrate people's minds.
If its too cheap too drink - both because of cheap alcohol and because the ensuing effects are treated free of charge, what's the incentive to not do it?

[Pickle2]

Maybe the french just do a better job of keeping their "scallies" and bourgeoisie seperate?

De-centralised, smaller a&e

so one for the poor working class and muslim imigrants banged up in tower block housing estates

and one for the middle class and white european immigrants retired to their chatteauxs in provence.

Thus, the two never mix. The french north africans probably marvel at the A&E in the uk "I cut my hand when over in London and got taken to this huge A&E, they have nurses and equipment and everything"

[sasguru]

Maybe the french just do a better job of keeping their "scallies" and bourgeoisie seperate?

De-centralised, smaller a&e

so one for the poor working class and muslim imigrants banged up in tower block housing estates

and one for the middle class and white european immigrants retired to their chatteauxs in provence.

Thus, the two never mix. The french north africans probably marvel at the A&E in the uk "I cut my hand when over in London and got taken to this huge A&E, they have nurses and equipment and everything"

Wrong. They seem to manage free-ish healthcare for everyone with not many of our problems.

[minestrone]

Anyway it would be the doctors who get the final say and as most of them still believe in their Hippocratic Oath they would not be leaving people without treatment.

And refusing treatment would just make the situation worse.

We should be looking at the problem from the other end and trying to stop folk getting hammered and battering the crap out of each other

[Gonzo]

Maybe the french just do a better job of keeping their "scallies" and bourgeoisie seperate?

De-centralised, smaller a&e

so one for the poor working class and muslim imigrants banged up in tower block housing estates

and one for the middle class and white european immigrants retired to their chatteauxs in provence.

Thus, the two never mix. The french north africans probably marvel at the A&E in the uk "I cut my hand when over in London and got taken to this huge A&E, they have nurses and equipment and everything"

They probably have it a bit easier than the UK - I used to live in an area with a large proportion of muslims and I don't recall ever seeing too many of them being "pissed up" and causing havoc.

[cailin maith]

Interestingly the doctor interviewed said that a full 50% of her A&E cases were alcohol related. That's taking the piss.

I think my idea of charging drunks would soon concentrate people's minds.
If its too cheap too drink - both because of cheap alcohol and because the ensuing effects are treated free of charge, what's the incentive to not do it?

Not sure it's the price of drink - more peoples attitude to drink. "Oh it's Friday, better go out and get hammered!"

Don't get me wrong, I am guilty of binge drinking myself on occasion but I know when I have had enough... too many people don't recognise that line and cross it without even caring for the consequences.

[Pickle2]

Wrong. They seem to manage free-ish healthcare for everyone with not many of our problems.

I know that, im talking about the apparant differences in behaviour of the people that you see at a&e when in france and when over here.

[Pickle2]

They probably have it a bit easier than the UK - I used to live in an area with a large proportion of muslims and I don't recall ever seeing too many of them being "pissed up" and causing havoc.

Well there must be something in that mint tea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf1dC1vkvQM

[Rookie]

Not sure it's the price of drink - more peoples attitude to drink. "Oh it's Friday, better go out and get hammered!"

Don't get me wrong, I am guilty of binge drinking myself on occasion but I know when I have had enough... too many people don't recognise that line and cross it without even caring for the consequences.

Oh dear CM. Next, you'll be telling us that you regularly freebase and smoke 'rocks' in that little crack pipe of yours. Shame on you!

[sasguru]

...too many people don't recognise that line and cross it without even caring for the consequences.

They don't care about the consequences because there aren't any (apart from death if you go TOO far). If on the other hand if you got drunk and had to go to hospital, but got charged say, £50 for having a drink-related problem, then maybe people would think twice?