Hospitals losing patients

[GeeJayW]

At the risk of pointing out the obvious, the chart above shows that U.K. spends about the same %GDP in public sector health as the US.

However, we have a much smaller private health care spend and an expectation that all of our health care needs can be met from the public purse....

 

[renault12ts]

The US is just incredibly expensive and thus even with their big spend not everyone can get health care. We expect everyone to be able to get it.

 

[leef44]

I agree with a lot of the comments above. The actual staff working in the NHS, be it doctors, nurses, carers, etc. show so much compassion. It's not the sort of job you choose to do unless you have it in your heart to want to care for others and give it your all while on occasion, suffering the frustration of some patients who get defensive or even violent against them when they are trying to help.

As to whether it is fit for purpose? This is more politics and management policy. I'm not going to get into this can of worms but the frontline staff are quite heroic in what they do. I have only respect for those.

 

[grober]

The USA system is a sobering reminder that the private healthcare sector is not the answer either. No wonder they opposed Obamacare in its orginal form. Viewed purely in economic terms the American Insurance/Health Care Industry [ and I use the term industry advisedly] takes too great a share of the US GDP to the extent some argue it now now serves as a brake on economic development.

 

[Deleted96908]

The USA system is a sobering reminder that the private healthcare sector is not the answer either. No wonder they opposed Obamacare in its orginal form. Viewed purely in economic terms the American Insurance/Health Care Industry [ and I use the term industry advisedly] takes too great a share of the US GDP to the extent some argue it now now serves as a brake on economic development.

Thanks for this Grober. I thought I'd pick this up in the politics thread - save being yellow carded by the mods

 

[DSM10000]

The NHS are pathetic. A pal of mine had to wait 6 months for an operation due to a lack of beds.

I offered to buy them 100 Ikea Tarva beds but they refused.

This is possibly the most ill-informed, over simplistic, shameful and ignorant comment I have ever read on this site and that takes some doing!

You collectively denigrate an organisation that is, on the whole, providing some of the best health care in the World and still free at point of use. Of course it is not perfect, of course mistakes and delays occur but this is not the time or place to debate the potential causes or remedies.

I hope that neither you or others in your family etc ever need immediate life saving intervention or treatment for other life threatening illness. If you do you will be (hopefully) grateful that all of those "pathetic" people who saved you.

 

[moonloops]

This is possibly the most ill-informed, over simplistic, shameful and ignorant comment I have ever read on this site and that takes some doing!

You collectively denigrate an organisation that is, on the whole, providing some of the best health care in the World and still free at point of use. Of course it is not perfect, of course mistakes and delays occur but this is not the time or place to debate the potential causes or remedies.

I hope that neither you or others in your family etc ever need immediate life saving intervention or treatment for other life threatening illness. If you do you will be (hopefully) grateful that all of those "pathetic" people saved you.

Didn't you even think for one second that it could be a joke. Offering the NHS ikea beds of all things?

 

[DSM10000]

Didn't you even think for one second that it could be a joke. Offering the NHS ikea beds of all things?

No, it did not come across as a joke, quite the opposite.

I note you have not suggested it was a joke to any other replies? Perhaps you should retract your post if indeed you were "joking"?

Probably enough said on this, any more back pedalling and the chain will come off!

 

[chrisk2010]

My old man had an aching arm for nearly a week eventually i convinced him to go get it looked at so he went to hospital to be given paracetemol and sent home.

Not convinced he called his health insurance and the next day and went to a private doctor it turned out he'd had three minor heart attacks in the week and they booked him in that afternoon to have a stent put in.

I don't blame the NHS as i don't believe you can just generically lable the whole thing itself, as really it was down to the Doctor or nurse that examined him at the time.

Nearly lost him though ....... As for me i don't even have a GP lol

 

[renault12ts]

The private doctor likely works in the NHS as well as his private practice. So, as you say, down to whom ever treated him on the day.