Health Secretary's Speech to LGA.

[graj0]

The problem with the NHS, is that powerful politicians like Jeremy Hunt doesn't have to rely on it.
He can go private!

Please allow me to play devil's advocate. Average Health Insurance premium - £10 per person per week, in 2006 the average amount contributed (out of National Insurance) per person per week was £14.50. I'm assuming that's now a tad more.
I see people paying additional amounts for private health care as an advantage, they paying in to the pot to fund the NHS and they're not joining the queue for a lot of the treatments that the NHS perform.
Wish I knew the answer.

 

[Scardoc]

People are against sugar tax etc.. Companies like to sell double size portions.
I have a friend that circuit trains twice a week, but has all you can eat breakfasts or humongous subways and literally live on takeaways. How on earth can you educate these people?
He's been told he not good with food choices. Their kids don't eat a single vegetable and they just pick easy options and save arguments with kids who are also obese.

I know that this isn't norm but my goodness if this is what the govt face there really isn't much they can give with incentives!! Even the grandmother just buys them all cakes n sweets etc. Just for an easy life.

They just can't see anything wrong. So how can their lifestyles ever change? They will all probBly have good genes n live until 100!!!

I suspect they see me lean and eating really healthy to look after myself n say "healthy eating hasn't done her any good !"

It does start with lifestyles and living in the families. Childrenbase their adult life's on their childhoods.

Its beyond me. I do a fair bit of voluntary work with GP Practice and I can't honestly see what they can do with educating people so firmly set on an easy lifestyle.

Sadly, you're right. You can't change some people whatever approach you take. It's all about trying to lessen the impact.

 

[CollieBoy]

It seems that Nhs Managers want GPs to go through their patient lists and refer those at high risk for interventions, such as Zumba dance and cookery classes.
The project is going to be piloted in seven areas this year and then launched nationally from next April.
But the GPC has warned practices are already ‘oversaturated’ and that improving access to healthier food and exercise should also be a priority.

Well we got a GP / Gym referral scheme up n running and its only me using it!!!

Given the responses by the attendees on my last Xpert course, promoting a cookery class (or at least a cookey awareness group) amounst diabetics, rather than our CCGs "divide & conquer" isolationist policy could be a great move!
Likewise our local secondary school's childeren's cookery coursewas good.

 

[Celeriac]

• 53 million aspirin and paracetamol tablets, available over the counter in supermarkets and pharmacies, were prescribed by doctors at a net ingredient cost of £112.3 million

This would equate to a single tablet costing £2.12 when you can buy a pack of 16 for less than £0.50 in the shop? I wonder if they mean 53 million prescriptions?

If not, can I have a job in the NHS please as I can send a van out to Tesco and save £85.86M in one go!

I am prescribed Aspirin as this was Best Practice seven years ago when I was diagnosed. My GP told me it isn't now and that offering a statin instead is Best Practice now. I have aspirin from GP rather than buying it so that it's on my files. We discussed stroke risk associated with complete aspirin removal and agreed to cut dose by 50%. I'd rather not have it, but don't want to risk the rebound effect.

 

[Lamont D]

Please allow me to play devil's advocate. Average Health Insurance premium - £10 per person per week, in 2006 the average amount contributed (out of National Insurance) per person per week was £14.50. I'm assuming that's now a tad more.
I see people paying additional amounts for private health care as an advantage, they paying in to the pot to fund the NHS and they're not joining the queue for a lot of the treatments that the NHS perform.
Wish I knew the answer.

It's not about the money!
It's about having an option to use the system or abuse it by being able to afford better care.
If a member of the elite had to use the same resources, they would assure that the care would be there for them. They don't so they won't!
Yes, there has to be a balance, but not having access to the best, is damning of our society. Only way to get the best treatment is to pay for it!
Something wrong somewhere!

 

[graj0]

I can only make comparisons on my experience.
I nearly bled to death after a mishap when I had a colonoscopy and a polyp removed. The care I received from the NHS was second to none, private health insurance wouldn't have been able to compete.
My blood pressure went through the roof and I ended up in hospital and again the care I received was second to none (except they wanted me to eat soup bowls of mashed potato LOL). Again, private Health Care would not be able to compete.
I've just had a cataract removed under private health insurance. I had the same consultant that I could have had under the NHS, the only difference being that I went to a smaller private hospital and I had a cup of tea and a sandwich brought to me after surgery in my own room, rather than being shown where the cafeteria was and I had it done within a couple of months rather than ??????.
I think the NHS does provide excellent treatment, perhaps it's different in different parts of the country. It seems to suffer from a lack of people being paid a decent salary which we as tax payers should be happy to pay for.
You mention the elite and I don't consider myself being a member of the elite by any means. 10% of the UK pays for private health insurance, I don't know if that includes dental health insurance which everybody meekly accepted when Thatcher wouldn't pay them more. I could go on about being a boring old fart who doesn't smoke or drink but does pay a health insurance premium, something all smokers and drinkers could do but they don't and that's there prerogative. I don't have a problem with what other people do with their money.
You pays yer money and you takes yer choices.

 

[MarkE]

Please allow me to play devil's advocate. Average Health Insurance premium - £10 per person per week, in 2006 the average amount contributed (out of National Insurance) per person per week was £14.50. I'm assuming that's now a tad more.
I see people paying additional amounts for private health care as an advantage, they paying in to the pot to fund the NHS and they're not joining the queue for a lot of the treatments that the NHS perform.
Wish I knew the answer.

Trouble is, by jumping the queue they are slowing the system down for the rest of us... Limited number of doctors, surgeons etc. alas. What the economists call a "zero sum game", indeed.

 

[MarkE]

I can only make comparisons on my experience.
[snip]
I had the same consultant that I could have had under the NHS, the only difference being that I went to a smaller private hospital and I had a cup of tea and a sandwich brought to me after surgery in my own room, rather than being shown where the cafeteria was and I had it done within a couple of months rather than ??????.
[snip]
You mention the elite and I don't consider myself being a member of the elite by any means. 10% of the UK pays for private health insurance, (my emboldening)
[snip]

Well, that rather shows the negative effect on the NHS of the privateers- the same consultant, just quicker!

And yes, I'm sorry, but you really are rich if you're in a 10% group by income/property. Pretty much by definition.

I don't begrudge you the money, no doubt you've earned it- but I do think Socialism would help this country massively, and I am terrified that we'll end up with a US-style health market. I'd be fair swift dead for one.

 

[Lamont D]

I can only make comparisons on my experience.
I nearly bled to death after a mishap when I had a colonoscopy and a polyp removed. The care I received from the NHS was second to none, private health insurance wouldn't have been able to compete.
My blood pressure went through the roof and I ended up in hospital and again the care I received was second to none (except they wanted me to eat soup bowls of mashed potato LOL). Again, private Health Care would not be able to compete.
I've just had a cataract removed under private health insurance. I had the same consultant that I could have had under the NHS, the only difference being that I went to a smaller private hospital and I had a cup of tea and a sandwich brought to me after surgery in my own room, rather than being shown where the cafeteria was and I had it done within a couple of months rather than ??????.
I think the NHS does provide excellent treatment, perhaps it's different in different parts of the country. It seems to suffer from a lack of people being paid a decent salary which we as tax payers should be happy to pay for.
You mention the elite and I don't consider myself being a member of the elite by any means. 10% of the UK pays for private health insurance, I don't know if that includes dental health insurance which everybody meekly accepted when Thatcher wouldn't pay them more. I could go on about being a boring old fart who doesn't smoke or drink but does pay a health insurance premium, something all smokers and drinkers could do but they don't and that's there prerogative. I don't have a problem with what other people do with their money.
You pays yer money and you takes yer choices.

I have to agree about most of your post, except the queue jumping, because that is what it is!
If we had a different system where the NHS was different to the private sector then I've no doubt both would suffer from resources.
We use to have the best developed health system in the world.
And the politicians have ruined for the benefit of the very rich.
Why are we heading towards private health care but the rest of the world is integrating their health care including the United state's towards our system. Where everybody is treated by triage than by bank account numbers.

 

[Scardoc]

It's not about the money!
It's about having an option to use the system or abuse it by being able to afford better care.
If a member of the elite had to use the same resources, they would assure that the care would be there for them. They don't so they won't!
Yes, there has to be a balance, but not having access to the best, is damning of our society. Only way to get the best treatment is to pay for it!
Something wrong somewhere!

I must confess that I believe the private system doesn't really offer that much more of a service. It exists because the "elite" and others who can afford it, pay for it. It's all about status for many who use it. That said, I know a number of people who could most definitely afford to go private and don't for two main reasons:
1. They think the NHS is perfectly good.
2. They have paid tax all of their lives for the NHS and don't want to pay twice.

 

[tim2000s]

I must confess that I believe the private system doesn't really offer that much more of a service. It exists because the "elite" and others who can afford it, pay for it. It's all about status for many who use it. That said, I know a number of people who could most definitely afford to go private and don't for two main reasons:
1. They think the NHS is perfectly good.
2. They have paid tax all of their lives for the NHS and don't want to pay twice.

I think the main reason for people using private schemes is really for queue jumping purposes. There are some things that it really does take a very long time to get seen for.

In relation to diabetes care, it has limited benefits, although I accept that it is possible to pay a doctor to approve a pump so that you can then pay for a pump yourself, it is hardly cost effective. It would be good to be able to top up your NHS care cost so that you could go through the normal channels to get some treatments that are more expensive and difficult to get.