Our NHS is being privatised

Regarding meals in hospital, I would have no objection to making some sort of payment provided I could also have some say in what was on offer.

I was in hospital overnight some years ago, and the breakfast 'options' were dire, to say the least.

Anecdotal evidence comprising friends' more recent experiences suggests the situation regarding meals has not improved very much since then. Relatives have been obliged to bring in food that patients can actually eat.

A clear case where privatization does not lead to improved service.

If the NHS hasn't the beds or particular resources needed for a patient then they use private facilities. What else should or could they do?
If a private company puts in a bid for cleaning or meal prep at all the hospitals in a particular Trust and it meets all relevant criteria including financials, what is the problem?
We need to get the people who are fit for discharge, out of their beds and back home, then hospitals can get on with treating others who are needy.
Meals should be paid for at a sensible rate, after all, patients aren't eating at home.
I actually don't think it's unreasonable to have a standard rate for meals.
As for privatising other medical services and health centres, I'm all for the peripherals to be managed by that sector leaving GPs, medical and surgical staff and other professionals to get on with the core work of the NHS.

This is the thing though you don't change what is first class the finest achievement, a role model for other countries and cost effective our NHS by the people for the people.

Thatcher started the privatisation, followed by new Labour Blair with the PFI Private finance initiatives loads of them that brought in managers and put a burden on the NHS.

What we want is to renationalise the NHS again.
And properly fund it not massively underfunded by Tory government since 2010 to get it to fail then sell it off privatisation.

No to Trump getting hold of it more privatisation as our NHS will be gone.

Our surgery is already moving to the model outlined by GG54. It surely makes sense for more minor issues to be dealt with by a medical professional, not necessarily the GP themselves.

I would have no objection to seeing an experienced senior health practitioner in the first instance for them to refer me to a GP if it proves advisable.

Nor do I object to prescriptions online (which I do now) or phone, and/or video consultations with the GP.

In fact, this would be preferable to wasting the GP's time.

I am not sure how this is 'privatisation' though.

janeainsworth The BMA and NHS England Simon Stevens want this privatisation.

janeainsworth This Doctor asks people to alert their GP about intended privatisation. Here is the answer to your question.

twitter.com/drbobgill/status/1125121752353398790?s=20
And Dr Bob Gill answers questions on Twitter after his tweet.
Here is a template letter.

www.facebook.com/TheGreatNHSHeist/posts/2727966990563662

You won't even have to trot off to the doctor you'll be able to have a video consultation and have digital prescriptions. That will save you travelling and waiting time and problems can be discussed in the comfort of your own home.
More money for ancillary staff to take the burden of small issues off the doc's shoulders so they can attend to the more serious cases and a central staffed hub which oversees several health centres.
It's much more than that but you get the gist.
Billions more to be put into the health service, because the rate at which the service is used, often for piddling issues which could be sorted out by a medical associate or someone less qualified than a doctor, is increasing exponentially.

whst what

Having read all about the new contracts 2019/20 I wonder whst the fuss is about.
I spoke to my doc a few moments ago and he explained further and is all for it. I might add that he is the senior partner in the clinic where all staff are in favour.
What's not to like?

Petra well that's Italians for you.

My point is a serious one which Grany has so far ignored.

GPs have a stark choice whenever the Department of Health revise their contract or terms of service.

Assuming that the BMA have accepted it on their behalf, their choice is to take it and sign, or leave it and leave the NHS.

Is that what you want, Grany? Mass resignations from the NHS? So that they are forced to work privately?

There is no point lobbying individual doctors. They have always been torn between the desire to serve their patients, and resistance to whatever the government foists upon them.

Your lobbying should be directed at those responsible for the contract, the mandarins and ministers in the Department of Health.

Jane
My fiery Neapolitan Doctor loves any excuse to talk politics

I wouldn’t dream of being so cheeky as to expect my GP to discuss politics with me during surgery time Grany.
Don’t you think that GPs have enough stress with their job, without having to get rid of blatant time wasters?

You still haven’t answered my question - what happens to a GP who refuses to sign this contract?

I wonder if anyone would bring up with their GP their worry regarding new GP contract primary care, deadline to sign 15th May?

The poster gives details of what would happen, what could be discussed, would bring privatisation American style health Insurance

Noem Chomsky said Quote. In order to privatise something run it down until the public get fed up and then sell it cheap to the private sector

The NHS is on the verge of collapse. 6 week’s wait to see a GP, A&E overwhelmed, staff exhausted and demoralised, sick people dying while they wait for an ambulance, operations cancelled or no longer funded etc etc
This is exactly what the Tories planned because they are going to make LOADS AND LOADS out of privatised services and health insurance.
Nice for the rich, tough luck for those workshy losers who are poor or ill.

Yes, I accept the majority of news outlets don’t prioritise reporting what Labour would do to protect the NHS. No, my lack of enthusiasm for the current leadership wouldn’t stop me voting for our sitting, Labour MP.

Apace = swiftly
A pace is a step.

One of the problems Nonnie is the cherry picking that happens with private providers. In a large NHS hospital with a full range of work, criss subsidy goes on. Some simple straightforward procedures make a ‘profit’ and that helps to pay for the more expensive work eg more complex patients! ITU, HDU. When they lose the former to private providers, the hospital loses out and overall revenue goes down and costs go up.

I don't want to get into which party did what. Surely what matters is that the money we spend on the NHS is used as efficiently as possible? If things like hearing tests, cleaning, minor operations etc can be done just as well by a private company for a lower price doesn't that mean there is more money for other things? Surely if some can afford private treatment that releases money for the NHS?

I think our NHS could do a lot more to be efficient. We had a post about this just a few days ago. I could give so many examples of inefficiency and so could my GP. He said the reason we have to go twice to hospital for minor things which could have been done on the first occasion is because hospitals get paid per transaction. Another instance is when a senior nurse is used in an out patient clinic to simply show the patient into the consulting room. I've checked my facts after this happened a few times.

cont who then employ the GPS.

jay since the NHS started, GPs have always had contracts with whatever body is chanelling the funding. Obviously the structure and the contracts have changed enormously over the years as the whole nature of medicine has changed.

Some surgeries are now ‘privatised’ in that the contract is awarded to private organisations eg Virgin Care

Sorry, but all GP surgeries have contracts of some form or another with their local CCG anyway and have done for years. Some bright spark thought it an idea that all did this to make sure that every GP provided the same services where possible - it's not privatisation!
GG - that idea was started by the previous government! It is supposedly cheaper to outsource certain services rather than in house - personally never understood that as it always seems to cause more problems than it cures!

There are US companies waiting to cherry pick the NHS. I have yet to see anyone who thinks privatisation is OK but the only party promising to save it is the Labour Party. One question for those who believe in the NHS but say they don't like Corbyn. If your dislike of Corbyn stops you voting Labour is the sacrifice of the NHS is a price worth paying?

^ just pointing out that the “privatisation” of NHS contracts happened under Labour as well as Conservative Governments.^

No you weren't. You said, and it is absolutely undeniable, unless you ask Gnet to remove your post, that Labour initiated NHS privatisation. I'm sure that a hardnosed successful business woman such as yourself knows the difference between initiated and continued.

No hard feelings, maryeliza

maryeliza54

I didn’t think it was a “cheap shot” just pointing out that the “privatisation” of NHS contracts happened under Labour as well as Conservative Governments.