Healthcare - NHS/Private

[lilelvis2000]

Am not convinced that private health is any better. Perhaps better staffed but would not be convinced that doctors are any better. What is the care like in Europe, that's the barometer I would use. And it does appear the UK is worse. Could do with a shakeup, but to do "a thatcher" and break it up willy-nilly would be foolish. (see UK railways for proof).

[sasguru]

Problem is, you still have to see an NHS dr to get a referral. My missus has been in agony with what turns out to be suspected gallstones. She rings drs surgery on Friday & they tell her nothing avalable until 13 Feb. If it gets any worse over the weekend, they say, go to A&E.
Simply not good enough.

Not if you're in London you don't. I have been de-facto totally private for years. I use the Medicentre chain which has branches in all the major rail termini in London. Appts on the same day or you can just walk in.
Costs about £70 a consultation and they'll refer you to Bupa if you ask.
The NHS is failing if you, like me, have to wait a week to see a GP. That is not acceptable.

PS There must be similar private GPs in most large urban centres of the Uk?

[original PM]

care in Europe is not bad -- if you can pay for it.

34 years ago on holiday in Majorca father in law fell ill.... really ill he was on life support for about a month but we had to fight tooth and nail to get him into the specialist heart n lung hospital in Palma - insurance company wanted to send him to the local uni hospital where he would probably have died.

Also my missus and mother in law went to see him all day every day (or just hung around the hospital anyway) i think if they had not done that the plug would have been pulled one night.

So to whoever said that making it look like the patient has people who care for them I think does increase the care given

[Scoobos]

I've worked with many PCT's.

The theory from whoever was stupid enough to start all this was that the business market manages resources much better, increasing efficiency etc ....

From my personal experience, PCT's are full of useless execs with shaky background history who try to run the NHS at a pseudo-profit. PCT's themselves just drink money paying these goits "market equivalent rates" for their jobs. The problem I have with these people is that I haven't met 1 (I've met over 10 "Chief Execs" of PCT's) who would actually be able to command a role in the "real" private sector.

In my view they are just "playing" at being execs and it comes as no surprise that we are critical of "corporate interests coming before patient care". Which business model does "care for customers" ? The only reason any would is if you could directly say that it would increase profit.

Cost cutting has been endemic with the actual workers, yet the PCT's grow. Its just complete BS.

Some of my past clients have chucked 10 million pound projects that have been signed off by PCT's with no bloody deliverables.

I am against private healthcare as the only option, but then again I think you either run as a public sector service and accept "inefficiences" or go private and have patient care drop in the name of profits rather than inefficencies.

If anything I'd like to see the NHS free at point of use only for UK citizens - god even knows how much we've been abused by medical migrants - but there's no legislation to stop it.

I'm in for an op next week , not the best thing to have splattered all over the papers.

[Scoobos]

Agree completely. My Eldest is at an academy they seem to be doing a good job.

Sure, so 1 academy proves it then...

I for one am not happy with any institution that says you don't need to be qualified to do the job (as Gove wants).

This is why I hate Chancellors of the Exc who have no bloody quals.

Once all mainstream schools are pushed that way, see if you think the same.

[formant]

For every NHS horror-story, there's a corresponding one in the private sector. Most recently: BBC News - Surrey woman left without care dies in hospital

I think the NHS is indeed poorly run and needs some major restructuring. I don't think privatisation would be beneficial however.

I can only directly contrast health care in Germany and the UK - haven't spent long enough elsewhere. I will happily admit that for anything serious, I'd go back to Germany - and I have done in the past. If I can avoid NHS hospitals and care I will.

[SueEllen]

Not if you're in London you don't. I have been de-facto totally private for years. I use the Medicentre chain which has branches in all the major rail termini in London. Appts on the same day or you can just walk in.
Costs about £70 a consultation and they'll refer you to Bupa if you ask.
The NHS is failing if you, like me, have to wait a week to see a GP. That is not acceptable.

PS There must be similar private GPs in most large urban centres of the Uk?

You don't have to wait a week to see a GP.

What's worked in the 3 practices I've used in London since the stupid on the day appointment system has come in, is going to the actual practice at the time the doors open and getting an appointment. You then tend to be seen first.

If you phone them up and can get through the receptionist job is to put you off. I was actually told by two of my old GPs that I had to inform the receptionist that I had to be seen that morning if I phoned so I worked out how to get round the dragons was to turn up in person.

[DodgyAgent]

For every NHS horror-story, there's a corresponding one in the private sector. Most recently: BBC News - Surrey woman left without care dies in hospital

I think the NHS is indeed poorly run and needs some major restructuring. I don't think privatisation would be beneficial however.

I can only directly contrast health care in Germany and the UK - haven't spent long enough elsewhere. I will happily admit that for anything serious, I'd go back to Germany - and I have done in the past. If I can avoid NHS hospitals and care I will.

But Germany doesn't have its own CUK

The debate about the scandal in the NHS should not sidetracked and diluted by the left and therefore allowed to become a tit for tat of negative anecdotes about private care.

Furthermore Using your fellow lefties' argument about percentage of failure then if you do wish to pursue this line (anything to protect the status quo of the NHS eh?) then let us see you put your anecdotes into some proper perspective.

So what percentage of private healthcare patients are let down and killed compared to private healthcare patients?

[vetran]

Sure, so 1 academy proves it then...

I for one am not happy with any institution that says you don't need to be qualified to do the job (as Gove wants).

This is why I hate Chancellors of the Exc who have no bloody quals.

Once all mainstream schools are pushed that way, see if you think the same.

Actually 3 prove it. Two are replacing schools so bad they were shut down (and yes they were that bad) one was OK but overstretched itself with too many english as foreign language.

Before the change they treated us as if they were doing us a favour educating our kids.

Obviously its a fine line but now they seem interested in the kids education.

[vetran]

You don't have to wait a week to see a GP.

What's worked in the 3 practices I've used in London since the stupid on the day appointment system has come in, is going to the actual practice at the time the doors open and getting an appointment. You then tend to be seen first.

If you phone them up and can get through the receptionist job is to put you off. I was actually told by two of my old GPs that I had to inform the receptionist that I had to be seen that morning if I phoned so I worked out how to get round the dragons was to turn up in person.

We do that locally the line starts at 7:00 am. They normally have the first appointment at 11am. (yes they secretly pre book).