Single payer healthcare in the UK

[DrHenley]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...that-should-be-a-wake-up-call-for-us-liberals

According to the BBC, there are 7.2 million British citizens awaiting medical care, or almost 11% of the entire British population. And Sky News reports that more than 400,000 people in England have been awaiting hospital treatment for more than a year.​

​

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63905269https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-wait...d-of-patients-wait-four-hours-in-a-e-12763943

 

[Proud Prepper]

This will be seen as the good old days in a couple of years.

 

[bigpaul]

there are thousands of vacancies in the NHS and a lack of social care when leaving hospital so there is a lot of what is called "bed blocking".

 

[user 7650]

Sounds about right. Free isn’t free

 

[bigpaul]

its free at the point of need, its paid for by general taxation.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Forgive me Paul, but I don’t understand. Your own NHS stated some time ago that there is a true emergency because of so many physicians quitting. You just acknowledged the same.

How can you consider “it free at the point of need” when the “it” is healthcare that IS being blocked and there aren’t enough resources to perform care to those NEEDING it?

 

[bigpaul]

it is free at the point of need because it is paid for by general taxation which we pay through through wages and indirect taxation on goods and services, thats where the health service money comes from via the govt.
the vacancies in the hospitals and health centres are more to do with "burn out" possibly caused by the Covid Pandemic, many are going into private practice where they can earn more money or even on the till in the local supermarket where the pay and hours are better or going abroad.
the NHS was started in 1948 and was very successful for over half a century but it obviously needs some kind of overhaul now to make it fit for the 21st century and a larger and more elderly population, just throwing money at it isnt the answer, and not everyone can afford private health insurance.

 

[Arcticdude]

Just like most government entitlement programs, they start out with good intentions, and may actually do some good. But over time they become corrupt, bloated, wasteful and inefficient. And become just a huge drain on the taxpayer.

 

[bigpaul]

it was started by a Labour govt just after the end of WW2 and is probably the only thing Labour ever did right, but over the years the population has exploded and its no longer fit for purpose, too many people using the system that they have never paid into.

 

[tmttactical]

it was started by a Labour govt just after the end of WW2 and is probably the only thing Labour ever did right, but over the years the population has exploded and its no longer fit for purpose, too many people using the system that they have never paid into.

I wonder if the money allocated to the NHS could just be given to the people to buy health insurance. Remove the governments involvement and just pay the people and they can pay the insurance companies.

 

[Arcticdude]

I wonder if the money allocated to the NHS could just be given to the people to buy health insurance. Remove the governments involvement and just pay the people and they can pay the insurance companies.

Better yet, let the people keep their own money and spend it the way they see fit. Of course this can't happen in a socialist country.

 

[bigpaul]

I wonder if the money allocated to the NHS could just be given to the people to buy health insurance. Remove the governments involvement and just pay the people and they can pay the insurance companies.

probably a nice idea but the health service here is a behemoth, its huge and it consumes everything it is given.