Comments on: The Sunday Times and healthcare http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/ Incisive and topical campaigns and commentary on today's issues and tomorrow's problems Thu, 24 May 2012 17:35:50 +0000 hourly 1 By: Clare http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21428 Clare Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:22:32 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21428 I am astonished at how defensive your blog sounds. Private health insurance is not sin, a guilty secret to be found out, it's a choice that we should be free to make. Debate is sorely needed over the balance of public/private provision in our future economically straightend circumstances. Reply: The blog is not trying to be defensive. It is seeking to show you just how crude the spin is, and the lengths they go to to try to "trip up" Tories. As far as the Labour media are concerned, private health insurance is a sin. I am astonished at how defensive your blog sounds. Private health insurance is not sin, a guilty secret to be found out, it’s a choice that we should be free to make. Debate is sorely needed over the balance of public/private provision in our future economically straightend circumstances.

Reply: The blog is not trying to be defensive. It is seeking to show you just how crude the spin is, and the lengths they go to to try to “trip up” Tories. As far as the Labour media are concerned, private health insurance is a sin.

]]> By: Mike Stallard http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21427 Mike Stallard Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:47:45 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21427 Actually, the NHS is partly to blame, I quite agree. But isn't the real blame on the fraudsters themselves? These are the people who set out to skive, who give up the struggle and dob in their mates, who use the health service as a means to get everlasting life, who "know their rights". "Remember it is not what can I do for my country that matters. It is what my country can do for me." Actually, the NHS is partly to blame, I quite agree.
But isn’t the real blame on the fraudsters themselves? These are the people who set out to skive, who give up the struggle and dob in their mates, who use the health service as a means to get everlasting life, who “know their rights”.
“Remember it is not what can I do for my country that matters. It is what my country can do for me.”

]]> By: Man in a Shed http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21426 Man in a Shed Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:12:24 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21426 I wonder if any state employees have private health care as part of their remuneration package ? I wonder if Times journalist have private health care in their remuneration packages ? Nothing wrong with either of course - except the hypocrisy involved with Labour and the politically motivated journalists. I wonder if any state employees have private health care as part of their remuneration package ?

I wonder if Times journalist have private health care in their remuneration packages ?

Nothing wrong with either of course – except the hypocrisy involved with Labour and the politically motivated journalists.

]]> By: Phil C http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21425 Phil C Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:44:11 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21425 The only thing wrong with private medical insurance is that like all insurance it is about managing risk, and therefore entirely inappropriate for lifelong healthcare. Fine for unexpected one-offs, like broken bones and acute episodes, but for chronic conditions (of which old age is almost the prime example) and, increasingly, anything for which you have a genetic or lifestyle susceptibility, forget it. The premiums, if cover isn't actually refused, approach pay as you go prices. The reform the NHS needs is to make its cover (comprehensive, non-discriminatory, and free when needed) available from more providers than just the one. Treasury funds should be portable to them all, and flat rate topping-up permitted by their subscribers. At least then people currently paying private medical insurance would get full NHS cover but supplemented. The health sector gets more funding; but this way it gets competition too, improving efficiency, value and is more responsive to its customers. The only thing wrong with private medical insurance is that like all insurance it is about managing risk, and therefore entirely inappropriate for lifelong healthcare. Fine for unexpected one-offs, like broken bones and acute episodes, but for chronic conditions (of which old age is almost the prime example) and, increasingly, anything for which you have a genetic or lifestyle susceptibility, forget it. The premiums, if cover isn’t actually refused, approach pay as you go prices.

The reform the NHS needs is to make its cover (comprehensive, non-discriminatory, and free when needed) available from more providers than just the one. Treasury funds should be portable to them all, and flat rate topping-up permitted by their subscribers. At least then people currently paying private medical insurance would get full NHS cover but supplemented. The health sector gets more funding; but this way it gets competition too, improving efficiency, value and is more responsive to its customers.

]]> By: James Sutherland http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21424 James Sutherland Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:23:58 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21424 The media have been trying to manufacture a story of this sort for days now - the other part of this non-story was a poll of MPs to gauge support for tax breaks for people paying private health insurance premiums (an idea I wholeheartedly support, but of course to Leftmedia this represents heresy against the Church of NHS) and implying there is some sort of significance to the fact Tory MPs supported it while Labour ones opposed it. No surprise there, the latter would tax oxygen if they thought they could, while the former are generally bright enough to grasp that this would be good for healthcare provision in the UK overall, including for those who rely on the NHS for treatment - but I somehow doubt this was the message the media wanted to convey. I'm waiting for these media outlets to apply the same logic elsewhere and do hatchet jobs on all MPs banking with banks other than Northern Rock... The media have been trying to manufacture a story of this sort for days now – the other part of this non-story was a poll of MPs to gauge support for tax breaks for people paying private health insurance premiums (an idea I wholeheartedly support, but of course to Leftmedia this represents heresy against the Church of NHS) and implying there is some sort of significance to the fact Tory MPs supported it while Labour ones opposed it. No surprise there, the latter would tax oxygen if they thought they could, while the former are generally bright enough to grasp that this would be good for healthcare provision in the UK overall, including for those who rely on the NHS for treatment – but I somehow doubt this was the message the media wanted to convey.

I’m waiting for these media outlets to apply the same logic elsewhere and do hatchet jobs on all MPs banking with banks other than Northern Rock…

]]> By: Frugal Dougal http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21423 Frugal Dougal Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:14:55 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21423 Freddy, sorry for taking so long to get back to you. Here's a Guardian article reviewing the BBC drama about Whitehouse and reporting the lost letters as an allegation: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/jul/21/channel4.broadcasting I will look for the soource for the BBC being an arm of Government, but it'ss have to be tomorrow, as I've got something else to write right now. - FD Freddy, sorry for taking so long to get back to you. Here’s a Guardian article reviewing the BBC drama about Whitehouse and reporting the lost letters as an allegation:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/jul/21/channel4.broadcasting

I will look for the soource for the BBC being an arm of Government, but it’ss have to be tomorrow, as I’ve got something else to write right now. – FD

]]> By: SJB http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21422 SJB Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:54:04 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21422 I was staggered to learn that the UK has an estimated 400,000 heroin and crack cocaine addicts, 350,000 are on benefits. (Hansard, 8 June 2009, Col 735W) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090608/text/90608w0012.htm We seem to have become inured to drug addiction in our society. I was staggered to learn that the UK has an estimated 400,000 heroin and crack cocaine addicts, 350,000 are on benefits.
(Hansard, 8 June 2009, Col 735W) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090608/text/90608w0012.htm
We seem to have become inured to drug addiction in our society.

]]> By: no one http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21421 no one Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:48:00 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21421 i meant to say try getting a job with trigger finger in 3 fingers, something which can be solved simply by a quick operation, and yet we have folk out of work for long periods for stuff like this i meant to say try getting a job with trigger finger in 3 fingers, something which can be solved simply by a quick operation, and yet we have folk out of work for long periods for stuff like this

]]> By: no one http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21420 no one Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:46:59 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21420 NickW is correct To say nothing of the folk who loose their freelance customers or other means of earning because the NHS wastes so much time for routine stuff Try being diabetic, the routine appointments to see GP, nurses, retinal scans, dieticians, consultants, and so on and so on How many appointments are supposed to be at 9.00 (often everyone is told to turn up 1st thing with no intention from the hospital of seeing them all then) and many people with early appointments are still there and not seen until 5.00 or 6.00 in the afternoon, I've even seen people wait all day to be told "sorry you will have to come back another day" and this is for dieticians not a surgeon who has had to rush off to an emergency! the NHS like to rubbish its patients for no shows at appointments, quite the reverse the service the customers/patients get is appauling, try ringing the appointment number and listen to how they talk down to you to say nothing of the appointments that are sent by mistake to the wrong address, all of the student appointments released at the end of term (when all the students will be going away), and other such wheezes as corrupt ways of managing the lists down without actually treating anyone! Coventry NHS stand up and take your bow but you are not the only ones! to say nothing of the surgeon who says "your GP is correct you do need an operation for trigger finger, but you also need the same operation for 2 other fingers, and I am not prepared to do one finger on its own as multiple operations will be more risky, please go back to your GP and get referred for the other fingers too" pushing that patient right back to the beginning of a real world 12 months wait! so yea the NHS has a lot to answer for NickW is correct

To say nothing of the folk who loose their freelance customers or other means of earning because the NHS wastes so much time for routine stuff

Try being diabetic, the routine appointments to see GP, nurses, retinal scans, dieticians, consultants, and so on and so on

How many appointments are supposed to be at 9.00 (often everyone is told to turn up 1st thing with no intention from the hospital of seeing them all then) and many people with early appointments are still there and not seen until 5.00 or 6.00 in the afternoon, I’ve even seen people wait all day to be told “sorry you will have to come back another day” and this is for dieticians not a surgeon who has had to rush off to an emergency!

the NHS like to rubbish its patients for no shows at appointments, quite the reverse the service the customers/patients get is appauling, try ringing the appointment number and listen to how they talk down to you

to say nothing of the appointments that are sent by mistake to the wrong address, all of the student appointments released at the end of term (when all the students will be going away), and other such wheezes as corrupt ways of managing the lists down without actually treating anyone! Coventry NHS stand up and take your bow but you are not the only ones!

to say nothing of the surgeon who says “your GP is correct you do need an operation for trigger finger, but you also need the same operation for 2 other fingers, and I am not prepared to do one finger on its own as multiple operations will be more risky, please go back to your GP and get referred for the other fingers too” pushing that patient right back to the beginning of a real world 12 months wait!

so yea the NHS has a lot to answer for

]]> By: NickW http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/24/the-sunday-times-and-healthcare/#comment-21419 NickW Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:12:40 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4342#comment-21419 We hear a lot about the failure of the benefit culture and the millions on Incapacity Benefit who are kept off the unemployment register. It has not occurred to anyone to squarely lay the blame for those incapable of working on the inadequacies of the NHS. Our population is getting sicker and an increasing proportion are unable to work through ill health. Isn't that in itself a serious indictment of the NHS which needs to be fully investigated? How many are transient claimants on waiting lists for effective treatment? How many claimant's have been incapacitated by mistakes, delays, and refusal of treatment? What role should the NHS be expected to play in reducing the numbers of Incapacity Benefit Claimants? Isn't this what a State run Health Service should be all about? We hear a lot about the failure of the benefit culture and the millions on Incapacity Benefit who are kept off the unemployment register.

It has not occurred to anyone to squarely lay the blame for those incapable of working on the inadequacies of the NHS.

Our population is getting sicker and an increasing proportion are unable to work through ill health. Isn’t that in itself a serious indictment of the NHS which needs to be fully investigated?

How many are transient claimants on waiting lists for effective treatment?

How many claimant’s have been incapacitated by mistakes, delays, and refusal of treatment?

What role should the NHS be expected to play in reducing the numbers of Incapacity Benefit Claimants?

Isn’t this what a State run Health Service should be all about?

]]>