Time to abolish the NHS?

[sasguru]

Following on from Gingerjedi's thread, about the Hospital program - it seems to me that the NHS cannot continue in its present form. The fact that healthcare is free means that many people are now abusing the system by not taking responsibility for their own health.

In any case Britain is the only country silly enough to have a central, monolithic health service managed by the state. We all know health care is better in our closest neighbours and they usually have some form of private-public partnership.

The NHS is now the 3rd largest employer in the world after Indian Railways and the Chinese army - a ridiciulous state of affairs for a medium sized country.

The NHS will be finally explode as demand can only grow, while the country is now close to bankrupt - but no politician has the guts to grasp the nettle.

[Pickle2]

The NHS will be finally explode as demand can only grow, while the country is now close to bankrupt - but no politician has the guts to grasp the nettle.

It wouldnt matter if they did, they would never get elected.

[sasguru]

It wouldnt matter if they did, they would never get elected.

I'm not so sure. If they let people "opt out" with financial incentives many would like that option rather than suffer the mediciocre NHS.

[Pickle2]

I'm not so sure. If they let people "opt out" with financial incentives many would like that option rather than suffer the mediciocre NHS.

Doesnt sound like abolition to me.

[Moscow Mule]

If the Gov. got rid of the NHS "attributed" component of NI, then I'd be more than happy to pay for my healthcare privately.

[sasguru]

Doesnt sound like abolition to me.

Well ther would have to be some sort of "rump" NHS .

[expat]

If the Gov. got rid of the NHS "attributed" component of NI, then I'd be more than happy to pay for my healthcare privately.

and your share for those who cannot afford to pay? Or were you planning to renegue on that responsibility?

[Ruprect]

and your share for those who cannot afford to pay? Or were you planning to renegue on that responsibility?

Quite true. Welfare state: welfare of all, maintained by the state. If all those who could afford private did, and stopped paying NI, then there would be no money for the health provisions for those who can't afford it.

[sasguru]

and your share for those who cannot afford to pay? Or were you planning to renegue on that responsibility?

You clearly didn't watch Hospital yesterday.
I resent paying for self-inflicted drink-related injuries and feel no obligation to do so.
A full 50% of A&E cases at that particular hospital were self-inflicted.
The doctor was at her wits end.

[BoredBloke]

I personally have had little involvemnet with the NHS, but my wife (kidney tranplant) and my son (blind) have so I'm quids in. Her transplant alone would have been 60k