Fund the NHS adequately

[biotechpete 10]

I don't understand your argument either.Are you arguing for private health care where your available treatment is governed by your wealth.

We already pay into the NHS according to our income whatever our age,and have use of the facilities,hopefully,according to our needs.

It's a very needed form of insurance and if the premiums need to be higher then the wealthiest should contribute more through their taxation.

It's not just the elderly who need care.Collectively we have to pay for children,the unemployed etc,as well as ourselves.

 

I'm not in any sense arguing for a private model. I'm saying raise more tax from wealthy pensioners.

 

---------- Post added 21-02-2017 at 09:17 ----------

 

Well done on quoting skewed soundbites from a blog, I'll take it you believe everything you read, but think you have much to learn. This is Sheffield forum and Sheffield is still predominantly working class, those wealthy pensioners you keep harping on about don't live in this city in any great numbers I can assure you, and even fewer read the economist !

 

I believe facts and figures, they are there plain as day. And just because I read a respected economic magazine I should shut up?

 

I don't know what decade you're living in, but the days of Sheffield being a working class manufacturing city were over a long time ago. I can assure you there are tens of thousands of very wealthy pensioners in Sheffield. Places like Fulwood are stuffed with the over 65s in expensive homes.

 

Even still, we have a national health service funded by central government, so the idea that anyone locally pays tax to fund Sheffield's NHS is inaccurate at best.

 

---------- Post added 21-02-2017 at 09:28 ----------

 

What would extra money for the NHS be spent on?

New hospitals?

More front line staff, including doctors and nurses?

Where would they come from ?

Or more likely more Managers?

 

Actually we probably need more hospitals, our bedsite per capita is roughly a third to half of Germany and France and lower than both the OECD and EU average.

[davyboy 19]

I'm not in any sense arguing for a private model. I'm saying raise more tax from wealthy pensioners.

 

---------- Post added 21-02-2017 at 09:17 ----------

 

 

. I can assure you there are tens of thousands of very wealthy pensioners in Sheffield. Places like Fulwood are stuffed with the over 65s in expensive homes.

 

.

 

What in your opinion constitutes a wealthy pensioner?

[RJRB 688]

I'm not in any sense arguing for a private model. I'm saying raise more tax from wealthy pensioners.[color=Silver

 

We need to raise more taxes from the wealthy whether pensioners or not,specifically for funding the NHS and associated social services.

Our party political system does not serve our population very well and is incapable of planning beyond two or three years as each government looks towards the next general election.

Perhaps its time for a general referendum on the funding of the NHS which would be binding on any government over the next 10 years to knock it into shape for the changing population.

 

---------- Post added 21-02-2017 at 09:43 ----------

 

[/color]

 

Actually we probably need more hospitals, our bedsite per capita is roughly a third to half of Germany and France and lower than both the OECD and EU average.

 

I'm sure that we do need more hospitals in some areas but number one priority must be doctors and nurses.

Wards and beds are constantly being closed because there is insufficient staff to service them.

[biotechpete 10]

What in your opinion constitutes a wealthy pensioner?

 

I haven't given it much thought, £0.5 million in assets would put them in the top 25% nationally. Seems like a good starting point.

 

I suppose you could use a household income measure, say over £30k/yr that's well over the national average income.

[RollingJ 2,066]

Going back to the original idea of this thread and 'funding' - here's a couple of ideas that might make a VERY minor difference.

 

(1) My mum is on Warferin after a stroke, which has left her dependent on others to look after her. I collect her medication every 4 weeks, and because of the 'rules' she gets TWO months supply. I asked the pharmacist if I could suspend ordering the Warferin until we had used some of the excess, but still have it listed on the Medication Administration Chart. Oh no, he says, if we don't dispense it, it can't go on the chart. We need it on there, so I have to keep on ordering it, and when I notice a pile of unused cartons, I return them to the pharmacy, who then destroy/arrange the destruction of perfectly usuable medication. So the NHS pays for drugs it then wilfully destroys? MADNESS ? - YES

 

(2) I recently had a cat bite that turned a bit dangerous, so had it washed out. While I was in hospital overnight, I was given paracetemol 'for the pain', even though I insisted I didn't need it.

On discharge, I was given MORE paracetemol, more antibiotics (even though I told the hospital pharmacy tech I had enough to complete the course), and some codeine phosphate - again 'in case I needed them' although I said I was NOT in any pain. So that's more waste to be thrown away, although I will be keeping the paracetemol for my headaches.

 

And I bet those paracetemol cost more than I can buy them for OTC!!!

[dangerousedd 10]

the cost of the drugs is peanuts compared with the cost of an overnight stay in hospital which is £700 afaik, they're just ensuring you don't run out and end back in there.

[RollingJ 2,066]

@dangerousedd - If I thought I needed them, then true - but I was not in any pain, and advised them of that - throughout my time as an inpatient. Had I NEEDED the medication, I would have taken it. As for the antibiotics, 7 days @ 3x per day is the max safe dose - I had 14 days.

 

And I notice you ignored my first point which will be ongoing until my mum, bless her, dies.

[RJRB 688]

Hospital cuts planned for two thirds of England in today's announcement of planned "Sustainability and Transformation "plans for the NHS.

All dressed up as an "improvement " to our services.

On the same day that the Treasury announces a 9.6 billion trade surplus in January.

What is our government for if not for the health and welfare of the population.

[dangerousedd 10]

@dangerousedd - If I thought I needed them, then true - but I was not in any pain, and advised them of that - throughout my time as an inpatient. Had I NEEDED the medication, I would have taken it. As for the antibiotics, 7 days @ 3x per day is the max safe dose - I had 14 days.

 

And I notice you ignored my first point which will be ongoing until my mum, bless her, dies.

 

 

you must be ordering the warfarin the wrong way you should order it from the gp and have them send the prescription to the chemist. if the warfarin is in date there's no need to return it to the chemist.

[RollingJ 2,066]

you must be ordering the warfarin the wrong way you should order it from the gp and have them send the prescription to the chemist. if the warfarin is in date there's no need to return it to the chemist.

 

We are ordering it the correct way - I've been doing it (and complaining of the waste) for five years - if we don't put it on the prescription, the pharmacy don't dispense it, and then they CANNOT enter it on to the MAR charts, which are the only legal way which allows the carers to administer the drugs.

 

I don't want potentially dangerous drugs lying about, hence why unused/excess ones are returned.

[dangerousedd 10]

I missed the bit about the mar charts, that's a special situation and not a run of the mill thing. there's a lot of liability involved for the chemists if they get it wrong.

[willman 10]

What in your opinion constitutes a wealthy pensioner?

 

Anyone who insists my taxes should pay for their care SO they can leave £250k properties to their children.