The good old NHS

[devonwoody]

Hi r you are early as we'll?

 

[RogerS]

Yup, dw, often up and awake at 4am. Extreme lark.

 

[Peter Sefton]

About 5.30 for me this morning, partly woking up by two very exited girls after the tooth fairy visited!
She was following the advise from the free NHS dentist!

 

[finneyb]

Agree wholeheartedly with praise for NHS - OK, it makes mistakes, but what individual or organisation can honestly say it does the right thing, every time, without errors?
The situation in the USA is exactly as stated, in that you can get brilliant treatment, but only if you are very wealthy or have insurance, which costs a lot more than we pay in to the NHS .

Dick,

Now you've started something.
NHS budget is above £100 billion. UK population is approx 60 million therefore per capita cost of NHS is £1700 pa per person including kids, with no choice to pay or not - and that is where we win over the US system.

So a family of four will 'pay' £6800 pa, every year - they will not notice it because there is no demand for payment, unlike US.
That is not out of line with US insurance rates.

The best bit of the NHS is the compulsory insurance - which is where Obama is taking the US.
Like any other organisation the NHS staff want too do a good job and sometimes the system lets them do it.

Brian

 

[david123]

Hi. David,Some years ago now I did 6 months voluntary hospital driving in Australia (another story) but in Oz. they pay for the ambulance and need insurance which I assume covers that sort of cost. The insurance company I am sure weed out their problem claimants.

Pleased to report that the lady had a reasonable comfortable night, and I have made three pots of tea so far this morning. Neighbours here are all giving her their best wishes and I have got a tickle re the ironing.

Being a volenteer in the health service is a privilege and a great way to help your comunity,, as you we'll know John, if folk had to pay for the service (god forbid that never happens) they may think more seriously about calling 999 on a triviality.


Glad your wife your wife is on the mend

 

[Rhossydd]

....... therefore per capita cost of NHS is £1700 pa per person including kids, with no choice to pay or not....

Not really an accurate description. Lots of people don't and won't have to pay anything at all.
As a country we've chosen to pay for the NHS through public taxation (via income tax, corporation tax, sales tax etc). That's a subtle, but hugely important, difference.

 

[finneyb]

....... therefore per capita cost of NHS is £1700 pa per person including kids, with no choice to pay or not....

Not really an accurate description. Lots of people don't and won't have to pay anything at all.
As a country we've chosen to pay for the NHS through public taxation (via income tax, corporation tax, sales tax etc). That's a subtle, but hugely important, difference.

Disagree - the only way the NHS (and other public services) are paid for are by the efforts of the individual which are then taxed to provide for the common good. That tax may be income tax, VAT, NI etc .

Companies also pay tax, but companies are merely a group of individuals working together - so again it's the individual's efforts that are taxed for the common good. There is no other source of income to finance public services.

As I said you do see a payment demand but you are certainly paying for it.

NHS is NOT free; it's free at the point of need.

Brian

 

[devonwoody]

Our local hospital are super.

we went to the clinic this morning and I said to the receptionist, I have a 76 year old lady with me (broken arm) very stressed and I would appreciate if you would see her as soon as possible, we left the hospital 15 minutes later. Even the Consultant finished up smiling when I told him how good they were.

 

[paul saunders]

I can't fault then, they've just saved my life!! I had a heart attack Sunday at I.00am, by 2.30am they had cleared the blockage and installed two stents and I was on my way to recovery ward, so well done NHS!!

 

[Peter Sefton]

I can't fault then, they've just saved my life!! I had a heart attack Sunday at I.00am, by 2.30am they had cleared the blockage and installed two stents and I was on my way to recovery ward, so well done NHS!!

Good to hear the system works, and you are on the mend.
Cheers Peter

 

[paul saunders]

Thanks Peter.

 

[devonwoody]

I can't fault then, they've just saved my life!! I had a heart attack Sunday at I.00am, by 2.30am they had cleared the blockage and installed two stents and I was on my way to recovery ward, so well done NHS!!

That is also good to hear re the treatment and now make a good recovery and I am sure there are best wishes from all.