NHS Reform

[Jacksgranda]

Grandson just home an hour ago from A&E, went in at 8.30 pm last night, out at 1 pm today. Other folk have been waiting 30 hours...

Possibility of maternity services closing at Coleraine and moving to Antrim - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64734032  - 40 miles away.

Another GP service might be handing in their contract - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64707595  -  the 13th in the last year and the 3rd in Fermanagh in 6 months..

Their hospital is also facing cuts -  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64725751

[ScotiaNostra]

53 minutes ago, strichener said:

Well thats Audit Scotland released their NHS report.

Highlights are:

The government plan is "unlikely to be met"

The aim of recruiting an additional 1000 staff for mental health services "at risk" due to £100m of cuts.

GP recruitment not on track.

More people being added to waiting list than are being treated.

£620m in savings are required this financial year to balance their budgets.

Only 3 health authorities are likely to be able to balance their budget this year.

Delays to the NTCs mean that the promised 40,000 extra procedures by 2026 are now less likely to be met.

The report is especially critical of the Government's COVID recovery plan which it says does not appear to be feasible and lacks data models on demand and capacity.

The watchdog also determined that the service is not sustainable in its current form.

Sounds like a vote of confidence for Humza as leader 

[Theroadlesstravelled]

‘30 hours in A&E’ sounds like a depressing TV program that ITV would put out.

 

[Jacksgranda]

26 minutes ago, Theroadlesstravelled said:

‘30 hours in A&E’ sounds like a depressing TV program that ITV would put out.

 

I'd say it's pretty depressing for those who have to thole it.

The worst of it is they had to watch arrested folk handcuffed to police prioritised for triage and seeing a doctor before them. Although I suppose you could hardly expect them to wait 30 hours, too.

The worst I've had personally was about a 12 hour wait in A&E; despite being triaged pretty quickly, had a long wait for a doctor.

[Dan Steele]

First, starve it of funds. Allow waiting lists to increase. Leak stories about new hospitals being built (with no intention, obv), keep the waiting lists growing, blame the medical professionals for daring to strike and in the process blame all strikers for rising inflation and a cost of living crisis. Then, when you think the time is right, probably a Friday, drop the whole point of the above: 

The use of the private sector to tackle the NHS backlog in England is to be expanded, the government says.

Ministers say they want to unlock spare capacity to get more people the treatment and operations they need.

[vikingTON]

When was the NHS 'starved of funds'? It would have been a lot easier for both the Tory government in London or the Scottish Government to pursue its other interests* over the past decade if that were the case, and so they wouldn't both be in the trouble they're in right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*slashing taxes on the rich; trying to rebuild a shattered social safety net respectively 

[Dan Steele]

1 hour ago, virginton said:

When was the NHS 'starved of funds'?

I thought it was widely accepted the NHS is chronically underfunded? 

[vikingTON]

1 hour ago, Dan Steele said:

I thought it was widely accepted the NHS is chronically underfunded? 

Widely accepted by whom? 

In any case, that's not the same as your claim that the NHS has been starved of funds as part of a conscious plot. Government spending on health care in the UK is at the highest share of GDP on record. It has consistently risen at the expense of other public services and departmental spending. 

Here's the figures from 2010 alone, with Department for Health and Social Care spending (the vast majority of which funds NHS operations) being the second line on the chart.

[vikingTON]

https://ifs.org.uk/taxlab/taxlab-key-questions/what-does-government-spend-money

In 1996-97 health care spending in the UK amounted to 4.7% of the country's GDP.

In 2007-08, health care spending was 6.5% of GDP.

In 2019-20 (pre-pandemic), health care spending was 7.4% of GDP. 

You can make a reasonable argument that an even larger share of GDP is required for a 21st century healthcare system - although arguments for necessary reform and efficiency must also clearly be on the table. You cannot however claim that the NHS has been 'starved' of funding by any UK government since 1997 because that's fundamentally not true.

[StellarHibee]

How much of that additional real term funding is a direct result of premium costs associated with private care and treatment implementation within the NHS? It seems the more we welcome in private services, the more expensive the NHS becomes.

[Dan Steele]

5 hours ago, virginton said:

In 2019-20 (pre-pandemic), health care spending was 7.4% of GDP. 

You can make a reasonable argument that an even larger share of GDP is required

Ok, drink has been taken, so apologies if this is more scrambled than usual but that is clearly the case. If the patient is underfed, they will slowly die. It's a sad state of affairs if NHS surgeons and the like have to take on private work to top up their wages (aye, I know, it's a wage most can only dream of) but the private sector does have the capacity to take on NHS work - but bear in mind that it's the NHS that has to resolve any issues. But I take on board your analysis.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Dan Steele
Missed a bit.

[vikingTON]

3 hours ago, StellarHibee said:

How much of that additional real term funding is a direct result of premium costs associated with private care and treatment implementation within the NHS?

Perhaps you can present some evidence to let us know.

Quote

It seems the more we welcome in private services, the more expensive the NHS becomes.

Or the NHS is becoming more expensive because

i) modern healthcare technology is more complicated

ii) the population is ageing dramatically and

iii) our culture permits fat disasters to puff around with multiple chronic diseases for decades without ever having to pick up the tab for their piss-poor lifestyle choices. 

[StellarHibee]

25 minutes ago, virginton said:

Perhaps you can present some evidence to let us know.

You require evidence that "for profit" services brought into the NHS inflates the health care budget?

[vikingTON]

I require evidence that it's a significant factor for the steady increase in UK healthcare spending, rather than your usual student union tribute act nonsense.

Edited August 4, 2023 by vikingTON

[D Angelo Barksdale]

Obesity rates have rocketed this century which is a huge factor.

[D Angelo Barksdale]

Great timing.

 

[Soapy FFC]

41 minutes ago, Herc said:

Great timing.

 

And at the bottom of the page, an advert for 5L of sunflower oil, no doubt used for frying chips.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Soapy FFC

[TONTROOPER]

13 hours ago, virginton said:

When was the NHS 'starved of funds'? It would have been a lot easier for both the Tory government in London or the Scottish Government to pursue its other interests* over the past decade if that were the case, and so they wouldn't both be in the trouble they're in right now.

 

 

 

What an uninformed twat you are.Please dont post here again (unless you have Mr McEleny or Salmonds permission to go public).

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

[TONTROOPER]

Be advised....... I've concluded VT is an ALBA  man/boy/whatever.

[TONTROOPER]

3 hours ago, virginton said:

I require evidence that it's a significant factor for the steady increase in UK healthcare spending, rather than your usual student union tribute act nonsense.

Oh do shut up you objectionable p***k.