Brilliant NHS

[mistermack]

Got this email from my sister today :

We are all very relieved that baby Elliott has been discharged from hospital.

The strain of meningitis he suffered from was entero viral, which thankfully is the less serious strain and hopefully he should make a complete recovery.

The hospital were brilliant and had done a lumbar puncture and started antiviral medication within 40 mins of him arriving at their walk in centre with a high temperature.

Speaks for itself really.
Note the complete lack of references to cost or insurance. THAT is civilisation for you.

[Rum]

Another good news story from the NHS!

They have been wonderful with my old dad!

[mistermack]

Another good news story from the NHS!

They have been wonderful with my old dad!

I'm glad to hear that. Hope he's comfortable, and making progress.

I can honestly say, in all the years I've been alive the health service has been A1 every time I've needed it.
Only once was it less than perfect, and that was when the Conservatives tried to destroy the dental service, and forced a huge number of NHS dentists to go private.

And it's clear from that where the REAL threat lies. Vote Conservative, or Liberal, and you are voting to scrap the NHS.
They won't tell you that, but that's what will happen.

[Rum]

He is indeed. Hopefully to be discharged this coming Tuesday. Lots of help at home for a bit but he is on the mend!

[mistermack]

He is indeed. Hopefully to be discharged this coming Tuesday. Lots of help at home for a bit but he is on the mend!

That's great news. Being in your own home is decent medicine, on it's own.

What pees me off about the health service lately, is that the news media now seem to see it as a source of cheap column inches, and the BBC are much the same. What used to be sorted out at a low level pretty quickly now becomes the story of the day.
They are trying to run down our best national asset, just to sell half a page of advertising to the gullible.
It's the old story, bad news sells papers. Good news doesn't.
But the BBC has no excuse, other than that they are competing for the attention of dummies.

[Strontium Dog]

Vote Conservative, or Liberal, and you are voting to scrap the NHS.

Utter, utter shit.

[ronmcd]

Vote Conservative, or Liberal, and you are voting to scrap the NHS.

Utter, utter shit.

At best, it's vote Conservative to scrap the NHS, vote LibDem to hum and haw and then scrap the NHS and pretend it's progressive.

But really, mistermack is right.

[ronmcd]

(I would add: vote Labour to scrap the NHS slowly, and with slightly less conviction)

[ronmcd]

Question: where IS the "save the NHS" party? Should be a shoe-in. So why is noone doing it?

[PsychoSerenity]

Question: where IS the "save the NHS" party? Should be a shoe-in. So why is noone doing it?

Greens are the only party that seem to be on that side of the spectrum.

[Audley Strange]

He is indeed. Hopefully to be discharged this coming Tuesday. Lots of help at home for a bit but he is on the mend!

Glad to hear it, Rum. I know how down it was getting you.

[ronmcd]

Question: where IS the "save the NHS" party? Should be a shoe-in. So why is noone doing it?

Greens are the only party that seem to be on that side of the spectrum.

Yup. Personally, I would think a split in the Labour party is needed. "Real" Labour versus Miliband's "Shite" Labour. Real Labour should distance themselves from the current leadership, promise to repeal the competition and privatisation in NHS, and Westminister would have a real difference between political parties. Sadly I don't think enough people would ever vote for the greens, even if the policies were all good, seen as too small and single issue.

[mistermack]

One of the main reasons that they are privatising parts of the Health Service isn't to do with efficiency at all. Although that's how they sell it.

It's really to diminish the power of the unions. A fully NATIONAL health service, with one employer, and just one or two unions, would be vulnerable to co-ordinated union action. When it's broken up into little bits, it might be far less efficient, but it's less vulnerable to a national action by unions.

Obviously, the union threat has to be sorted out, but breaking everything up into trusts, and little sections, is a ridiculous way to do it.

I would pass a series of laws banning industrial action that affects the caring professions. And prescribe severe penalties on unions and individuals who organise in the face of those laws. Lots of private companies have no-strike deals, and I can't see anything wrong with making it legally binding for the NHS. I would include, cleaners, ambulance drivers, electricians, anyone who's work affects the NHS.

[Arse]

Vote Conservative, or Liberal, and you are voting to scrap the NHS.

Utter, utter shit.

At best, it's vote Conservative to scrap the NHS, vote LibDem to hum and haw and then scrap the NHS and pretend it's progressive.

But really, mistermack is right.

Voting LibDem is basically voting Conservative anyway, they've shown their true colours by going into coalition with them.

[Strontium Dog]

Voting LibDem is basically voting Conservative anyway, they've shown their true colours by going into coalition with them.

Congratulations, that's truly cretinous.