The end of free treatment from the NHS.

[Staunton 18]

The privatised NHS has begun to demand the introduction of charges for a range of treatments. Now that the multinational tax avoiders have started to take over our hospitals, profit rather than treatment has become the central objective of our health service. This means ordinary people paying for treatment or going without.

[alchresearch 214]

Any links for this? Is it worth me bothering to post any links which shows lots of private companies taking over lots of hospital services when Labour was in charge, or the directorships that some Labour MPs have with some private companies?

[Bladesman 10]

I wouldn't say its the end of free treatment but I know from personal experience that they are avoiding prescribing the more expensive medication more often.

[Staunton 18]

The mainstream media are beginning to report these calls. See for example:

 

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/health/news/article3798692.ece

 

---------- Post added 24-06-2013 at 12:01 ----------

 

Any links for this? Is it worth me bothering to post any links which shows lots of private companies taking over lots of hospital services when Labour was in charge, or the directorships that some Labour MPs have with some private companies?

 

alchresearch is right to point out that New Labour were firmly behind the privatisation of the NHS.

[Lockjaw 11]

Any links for this? Is it worth me bothering to post any links which shows lots of private companies taking over lots of hospital services when Labour was in charge, or the directorships that some Labour MPs have with some private companies?

 

Interesting Pavlovian reaction you got going there, alc; particularly when one bears in mind that Staunton didn't mention any political parties.

[Mister M 1,624]

The mainstream media are beginning to report these calls. See for example:

 

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/health/news/article3798692.ece

 

---------- Post added 24-06-2013 at 12:01 ----------

 

 

alchresearch is right to point out that New Labour were firmly behind the privatisation of the NHS.

 

Indeed they were. The NEW Labour Alan Milburn the then Health Secretary was impatiently pestering Andrew Lansley to "get on with privatising the NHS" (Milburn and Lansley have personal financial links to the private health companies).

 

Alan Milburn is of course the Government's 'Social Mobility Tsar'. Alan Milburn is very concerned about his own mobility, clearly.

 

Bevan must be turning in his grave.

[Staunton 18]

This is one long tale of sleaze - MP profiteering, political support for the corporate agenda, the government working against the interests of their constituents, undemocratic assault on public services, tax avoidance and putting profits before the needs of ordinary people.

 

Our NHS has been opened up to private interests, and that means cuts to staffing, increased use of unqualified staff and a reduction in skilled personnel, the introduction of charges, profit before treatment.

[melthebell 863]

This is one long tale of sleaze - MP profiteering, political support for the corporate agenda, the government working against the interests of their constituents, undemocratic assault on public services, tax avoidance and putting profits before the needs of ordinary people.

 

Our NHS has been opened up to private interests, and that means cuts to staffing, increased use of unqualified staff and a reduction in skilled personnel, the introduction of charges, profit before treatment.

 

you're surprised?

 

another case of the rich getting richer while the poor, well, in this case.....die?

[Staunton 18]

No surprises!

 

Here's a thread from two years ago which resonates with a number of issues in the news today:

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=796639

[truman 10]

The mainstream media are beginning to report these calls. See for example:

 

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/health/news/article3798692.ece

 

---------- Post added 24-06-2013 at 12:01 ----------

 

 

alchresearch is right to point out that New Labour were firmly behind the privatisation of the NHS.

 

I don't subscribe to the Times so can't read all that article.. does it say which procedures/treatments would be "extra" and which would be "core"?

[Staunton 18]

I don't subscribe to the Times so can't read all that article.. does it say which procedures/treatments would be "extra" and which would be "core"?

 

I think we shouid take care not to be distracted by details, that is one of the tactics that the neoliberals love to employ to divert attention from their disgraceful policies. It is the principle that counts.

 

This developments reveals the intention of ending the National Health Service and replacing it with a US style business model where only the wealthy can be sure of treatment.

[altus 540]

I don't subscribe to the Times so can't read all that article.. does it say which procedures/treatments would be "extra" and which would be "core"?

 

The debate is on the principle of charging and hasn't got as far as deciding details yet. There's an article in the Guardian on the debate. It's worth noting that it's not all doctors calling for this - it wouldn't surprise me if those doctors with private practices on the side were in favour of ending free treatment. That page also links to a previous article on the matter which gives some perspective on the economic consequences of the matter.