NHS again

Four years ago I commented that the NHS was probably as good as it was going to get. It will be very interesting to see what happens to NHS England once the current batch of outsourcing of services plays out. The electorate have not really had much of a taste of it yet I think. Be interesting to compare in a few years, differences between England, Wales and Scotland - as only England is having the outsourcing and reorganisation treatment.

The NHS is a treasure - we get better + cheaper healthcare than the vast majority of other countries. My MIL passed away a couple of weeks ago. She had a lifetime filled with health problems and the NHS saved her life countless times, replaced both knees and hips, kept her heart going long, long after its shelf life was expired. The NHS also provided her with carrier bags full of drugs and dressings every year and provided her with district nurses to do her leg dressings. The GP used to visit when requested. Paramedics attended (for free! You'd have to pay in lots of countries) just after her death and, according to my sister in law they were kind, helpful and respectful. Where else would you get all that?

There's a petition to put Nye Bevan on the £20 note.

https://t.co/M9wWjj2Q20

This is interesting. Will the government now admit it is destroying the health service? I am not holding my breath. They'll probably be praising themselves for giving the NHS more money.

www.pulsetoday.co.uk/your-practice/practice-topics/employment/gps-to-be-offered-incentives-to-delay-retirement-under-10m-strategy-to-solve-workforce-crisis/20009021.article

Needed the bed, Deedaa.
Glad he is home. Even if the cancer ward is nice, home is still better.
Are cancer wards just more efficient than the others?
I remember when my husband was going for radiotherapy, they told us that if we could not get a disabled parking space, just to park in the multistorey next to the department and just pay for one hour. If it took longer it would be their fault if we got a ticket and they would pay for it.

Glad he is home now.

DH just spent four days in hospital. He managed to get onto the cancer ward for the last two days. It is like a different world in there, the staff are lovely and nothing is too much trouble. We didn't expect him to be out till Monday because there wouldn't be a doctor in over the weekend, biut they managed to find one yesterday and also managed to put together the drugs he needed in spite of the pharmacy being closed. Or were they just so keen to get rid of him?

I think the distances some people have to travel to access A&E is a problem, and the fact that people in England have to pay for car parking at hospitals is shocking. Someone who is sick or is visiting a sick child should not have to worry about finding money for the meter.

I must say DH and I have had very good treatment so far - perhaps we are lucky. DB had a terrible hospital stay (amounting to negligence imo) a few years ago but has just received wonderful treatment at a different hospital.

grumppa One of the definitions of ordinary is "normal, standard, typical". I use the term "ordinary people" to describe those that have a level of wealth that is not "extraordinary" ("beyond what is ordinary or usual"), and not in any classist or derogatory sense.

Uk economy shows shift to low skilled jobs, reasearch finds, is the name of the article.

Basically it says that jobs in the UK are , and have beem going into much more of a hour glass figure, ie more highly skilled jobs available in the UK, and more low skilled jobs, with a lot less jobs in the middle compared to years ago, becuase of improvements in technology.
Which I suppose helps to increase the feeling and actual reality of poeple on high wages, and people on low, with nowhere like as many in the middle as before.

[I did pay up to a few free articles a month to the online Financial Times, a few years back, and I seem to be able still to get them for some reason].

I can't open the link soontobe I keep getting a subscription page. Could be just my computer though.

Apparently by next year (2016) 1% of the world population will have accumulated as much wealth as the other 99% put together, which is shocking.

www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6a8544ae-9d9e-11e4-8ea3-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3PYwyLwKy

Nelliemoser, isnt that want communist countries try and do and fail? Really badly?
Though I agree with you that this country is going too wide in its spread of wealth.
But apparently this is partly because jobs in the UK are going either lower or higher, with not anything like as many in the middle as it once was, so says the Financial Times.
[sometimes conservative voter]

Are you saying that members of the other parties do not enjoy priviledge Nelliemoser?

Do either of the main parties really understand the "normal" working person. You know, the ones that go to work 9-5 or whatever and earn "normal" wages? I very much doubt it. None of them really want a fair society if it means they will have to give anything up.

Eloethan Re your post of Thu 22-Jan-15 01:56:32
I fully agree with your point about the aims and motivation of the Conservative party.

I wish somone on GN who is a conservative voter would one day actually discuss the issues of privelege and inequality and explain why they do not feel a more financially and socially equal society might be a fairer and happier place.

In the original post, Mishap, whilst appreciating that there are many problems with the NHS, expressed her feelings of appreciation of it. She then compared the situation here to that in the US.

The NHS is a political issue and it is natural that some contributors will comment accordingly, especially when the original poster mentioned something that has a political dimension.

I would define "ordinary" people as being normal/usual grumppa.

If all parties could somehow get together and agree that we all want what's best for the future of the NHS. Set up a standard rate of financing (which would be agreed by all parties) and subject to reviews by an independent panel.

This always happens - if it's not politics, it's religion with people defending their various stances. I have been guilty of it too but my views aren't as entrenched as some people's.

It is, however, an open forum, so I suppose one lets the entrenched ones get on with it and keep returning to the OP in the hope of re establishing the discussion. Doesn't always work, though...

Yes you are correct, I am sorry.

Should the title of the thread be changed ?

I came to comment on a situation my friend has in connection with NHS. But having read the last page it's become "the political debate slanging match !

Unfortunately the NHS can't be kept out of politics, because it depends on taxation and taxation is controlled by politicians?

On another point that has been raised, can someone define ordinary people for the purpose of categorising voters? Sounds like old-fashioned class warfare to me: roll on the twentieth century!

Fair point but if a post is directed to a named poster it would be rude not to reply!

If you read this thread alone there is link after link , post after post that refers to a political party 'of one colour or another'. If a post is political in it's origin and uses the words of a politically biased group/blog/association then it is hardly a surprise if the answer is political, after all that's all another poster has to work with.

Well plenty "ordinary" people must have voted conservative in the last election as how else did they get into power?

I thought this was a thread about the NHS. Sorry my mistake.

Eloethan

When I read your first sentence I thought fair enough a mistake was made and an apology followed. Finished/over with.

Then I read what was to follow and I have to tell you, because I believe I have earnt a right of reply, you continued to basically call me shallow and deceitful without having the courage to use those words.

You are simply wrong, wrong, wrong. You say in one breath I have until now said 'a plague on all their houses' but now I say I am going to vote Conservative. Then you say the reason you made the mistake was my view is the same as another so you HAVE made a decision as to my political persuasion after all.

That was no apology you just wanted to have the last word and continue where you left off.

As for my giving the impression of 'a plague on all their houses' I very often say 'a government of any colour' trying to be impartial but answering a post that I feel is either being hypocritical or A political and deserves a response. If you look at the political forum most threads are started by a poster with a left wing view or point to make. That is not an issue because anybody has the right to post. What is the issue is when there is a challenge / debate by anybody who does not agree or god forbid show a right wing tendency it should not be open season for making personal comments. That is not debating politics that is a word I will not use as I will be guilty of doing the same.

I would think that over the years most GN posters are aware of other posters humour, kindness and 'if involve themselves'. In posting on the politics thread, or indeed even lurking, have an idea of other political tendencies. I would think it is laughable to some that you say you did not know I tend to lean to the right of politics. I am sure they have read posts between ourselves that make it quite evident.

As for saying you don't understand why 'ORDINARY PEOPLE' vote Conservative is a comment that if I were to answer I would most certainly be making a personal comment to you of an unkind nature so I will leave it up to other GN's to assess what that says about your view.

The "state of the art" facility to which I refer rosequartz is a purpose built Renal (Dialysis) unit which is attached to The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. The building is perfect. It is light and airy. Lets not forget most renal patients (including my mum) spend almost half of their life there. On the other hand they always seem to be scrabbling around for the most basic things like blankets, pillows or blood pressure machines.

I have seen the other side of course (many times). Wards that appear to be totally overstaffed and/or wards where the patients seem to be a most inconvenient distraction to staff who were "busy doing nothing".

I agree that its is all very patchy. There are some excellent staff and some rotten ones. Some very good hospitals brought down by the lack of basic facilities. I am totally with you rosequartz on the need for the NHS to be taken out of the political agenda.

I suggested it should be taken out of politics partly for that reason - the NHS seems to be so patchy in what it provides. Some hospitals and areas seem to be suffering from lack of resources, are understaffed or, quite frankly staff who do not care, others are state-of-the-art with wonderful equipment and excellent, caring staff.
I have seen both sides in both England and Wales. Well, I have not seen a state-of- the- art hospital in Wales but I don't think many (any?) are paying back huge PFI sums.