I've looked at the petition and it does not say that it wants to stop privatisation of the NHS. It says that it wants to stop the NHS being handed over to irresponsible private companies. Unless, of course, you are arguing (and the petitioners believe) that all private companies are irresponsible. Have I failed to understand something? Please explain.
I just assumed they were using irresponsible as an adjective and the main thrust was they want to stop the NHS being handed over to private companies.
Personally I think private companies are concerned with profits not the welfare of patients but you may disagree. That's been my experience with private medical care and yes I personally think most if not all private companies are irresponsible as regards patient care - there have been many cases here and in the US where they've blocked treatments on the basis of cost - which is why I've signed this petition.
I would never suggest (and I hope no-one else would) that we follow the American system. I do not, however, immediately equate private with irresponsible and bad and public as automatically good. What do you make of the transformation of Hinchingbrooke hospital? It was acquired by a private health care company called Circle in February 2012 and the approval ratings by patients and staff have improved dramatically.
I also want to pick up on the comment that "there have been many cases here and in the US where they've blocked treatments on the basis of cost-which is why I've signed this petition." That cannot be a reason for signing this petition. Cost limits on the NHS are already imposed upon the NHS by NICE and rationing in many forms (such as age discrimination) already takes place in the NHS. There is much right with the NHS but we must not pretend that it is perfect and incapable of reform. Please also look at the health systems in, for example, France, Belgium and Germany where the private sector has played an important role for many years. We can learn from those countries, just as we can learn from America what not to do. A point blank refusal to accept any degree of private sector involvement in the NHS is simply ideology applied without thought.
Quite simply I disagree with you. No point arguing. I know the NHS can be very bad but I want to preserve it. I've lost trust almost entirely in the private sector though It wasn't always how I felt. I come from the US and when I was younger I took it for granted and government sponsored things were largely 'charitable'. I'd never heard of socialism. But the private sector has changed so until it changes back I prefer to trust the concern of NHS doctors for their patients if not the system of administration. It's a long story - at different periods different sectors are preferable. At this time of ruthess greed I'll gamble on the NHS until enlightened entrepreneurs emerge again.
But in that case how do you explain the dramatic turnaround at Hinchingbrooke hospital? How do you explain the fact that the health systems in France, etc, get much better reviews than ours?
Look this is not my major interest. I don't want to convince you and I don't want you to convince me of anything. I posted this as a courtesy to people who are interested and have taken the position expressed in the petition.
If this issue is very important to you you'd better talk it out with someone who has more knowledge and interest. Perhaps the man who helped me post the site. I don't recall his name but you can find him somewhere in this this cluster of conversations.
I'm sorry to hear that you are not open to argument and discussion and that you are not prepared to consider changing your mind even if the arguments are compelling. I hope that the other people who have either signed the petition or are thinking of signing might be more receptive. I do not for one second claim that my arguments are completely right and that anyone who opposes them is wrong but the commonly held view that the NHS is the best health service in the world is simply wrong. We can learn from other countries' experiences.
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https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/sign-the-petition-to-local-doctors
Have I failed to understand something? Please explain.
Personally I think private companies are concerned with profits not the welfare of patients but you may disagree. That's been my experience with private medical care and yes I personally think most if not all private companies are irresponsible as regards patient care - there have been many cases here and in the US where they've blocked treatments on the basis of cost - which is why I've signed this petition.
What do you make of the transformation of Hinchingbrooke hospital? It was acquired by a private health care company called Circle in February 2012 and the approval ratings by patients and staff have improved dramatically.
There is much right with the NHS but we must not pretend that it is perfect and incapable of reform. Please also look at the health systems in, for example, France, Belgium and Germany where the private sector has played an important role for many years. We can learn from those countries, just as we can learn from America what not to do.
A point blank refusal to accept any degree of private sector involvement in the NHS is simply ideology applied without thought.
If this issue is very important to you you'd better talk it out with someone who has more knowledge and interest. Perhaps the man who helped me post the site. I don't recall his name but you can find him somewhere in this this cluster of conversations.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/articles/getting-rich-on-the-nhs-reporter-feature
Peace Be
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