NHS winter crisis looms

We seem to have a strange trend in the UK for the turkeys to vote for Christmas. Who was the group who mainly voted for the Tories? The elderly.

Did they believe the promise that the NHS was safe in their hands?

Absolutely Anya. Most people I know would prefer this if given the choice. It is the definite ideology of this Government to get rid of the NHS. I know a few people who have paid recently to be seen privately (out of meagre savings) because the wait to see a consultant, or for investigations, is a very long time, including a couple of people with cancer. You don't realise how bad it is until you need treatment yourself.

We all need to demand tax rises to fund the NHS and be prepared to pay more ourselves.

Well it happens in the 3rd world, sharing hospital beds
The Welsh government are doing their best to provide as much funding as possible for the NHS - but due to Tory cuts, many other things are set to suffer - libraries, youth services etc etc Because Welsh Labour government are prioritising Health and Social Care. Wales is not privatising and does not have its hospitals working in relatively small Trusts. Instead, large health boards. Wales does however have a high level of demand because the population is poorer and therefore sicker.

Thanks for the 22 year old link Bags . I think it's safe to assume that the graph carries on rising in countries like the UK, where life expectancy is steadily rising and therefore the need is rising sharply. We probably all know people who have had all kinds of expensive treatments form the NHS during their 70s and 80s. Or multiple hospital admissions. Or repeat prescriptions that come in a full carrier bag. If we had had a sharp dip in the birth rate after the war, the NHS would not be needing additional funding now.

They'll be talking about increasing bed turnover next

Haha! db. Yes, it is the most obvious interpretation

Complaint by Martin McCluskie for Inverclyde.

For example.

"Increase bed occupancy"??
You mean like sharing? (Sshh don't tell Jeremy Hunt or it will be his next initiative)

In real terms the proportion of GDP spent on healthcare is increasing globally. I'd be interested to see figures from 1994 on this graph:

The Scottish Government is also making (has made) cuts in health care funding though. I'm pleased about this winter's extra funding for winter bugs but it is essentially window dressing.

Well done, the Scottish government. It doesn't want to privatise the NHS, though, unlike NHSE.

This is interesting. After Brexit, the 2012 Health and Social Care Act goes out the window. We could stop the privatisation then, if there is any left of it.

voxpoliticalonline.com/2016/12/09/will-brexit-scupper-the-tories-nhs-privatisation-plan/

the Scottish government have already announced extra cash to alleviate the problems over the winter,I think thats a good move,dealing with the issue BEFORE it becomes a problem.