BMA: NHS in Wales faces ‘meltdown’

[Dedworth]

BMA: NHS in Wales faces ‘meltdown’ as waiting times are at record levels and death rates higher than the rest of the UK

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz3GfeczYZ7


Police probing neglect worse than Mid Staffs

Nurses on criminal charges

Death rates higher than rest of UK

Milliberk claims only Labour can be trusted to safeguard the NHS



An absolute disgrace

[Dedworth]

Patients in mass exodus to England: As Labour blocks international inquiry into crisis-hit Welsh NHS, thousands cross border for life-saving treatment

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz3GlhQlaP3

Plenty of sheep like Labour voters

[Arthur Little]

Milliberk claims only Labour can be trusted to safeguard the NHS

An absolute disgrace

... lest we forget though, Ded ... ... it was, in fact, a Labour Health Minister - namely Aneurin Bevan (a Welshman himself) - who created the NHS away back in 1948.

Mind you, I am NOT suggesting Miliberk's motley crew are capable of safeguarding it in its present condition.

[Arthur Little]

Mind you, I am NOT suggesting Miliberk's motley crew are capable of safeguarding it in its present condition.

But I will say this:

Citizens - native or naturalised - who are members of our site must surely ALL be relieved there IS a National Health Service they can call upon anytime they're unwell ... in spite of its perceived imperfections.

Thankfully ... none of us here in the categories mentioned, is of an age to recall an era when medical and/or surgical treatment had to be *paid for upon its being dispensed ... *which, to the very best of my knowledge, is the case in practically every other nation on Earth.

[Doc Alan]

Aneurin Bevan – Labour Minister Health who introduced the NHS in 1948 – might well be turning in his grave ! He hoped and believed that as the nation’s health improved, with essentially free care for all, less would be spent over time.


• Instead, public spending on the NHS is several times more in real terms; more patients are being treated than ever before, partly because we’re living longer ; and more treatments are available. Obesity, cancers, dementia and alcohol-related illness are added to the cost of treating the minority who still smoke. He might also turn in his grave to discover how demanding, critical and litigation–minded some of the public have become !


• On a Forum such as this, I couldn’t attempt to deal with all the problems of the Welsh NHS listed in the Daily Mail . For those who are interested, the BMA proposals ( " Creating a Healthier NHS for Wales " ) are essentially calling for a new culture of openness and transparency and a full scale independent review of the Welsh NHS.


• Everyone taking " Life in the UK Test " knows that since the late 90’s health has been one of the administrations devolved to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Most of the £ 140 million NHS budget goes to England and their GP-led Clinical Commissioning Groups. There are differences across the UK in the devolved NHS, but it is still a NATIONAL health service.


• Most people – whether healthcare workers or the general public – still think a nationalised health care model, such as we have in the UK, is best. Of course it needs improvements ! We need more nurses and doctors. Every patient generates too much paperwork for them and administrators. Debt from PFI ( Private Finance Initiative ) - " selling off the family silver " ( buildings, resources, and land ) to the private sector - should be centralised.


• The UK public also needs to understand better the true COST of the service. This includes drugs, attending ( or not attending ) clinics, hospital care and operations. Social services need to be integrated with health care. The list could go on.


• Our politicians are no better at understanding the NHS. Recent examples : -


1. Labour’s pledge :- " Cancer test waiting times to be cut to a week ". ( There is NO single " one size fits all " test for cancers . Microscopic pathology tests ARE the gold standard – involving highly skilled doctors and scientists ). ALL cancers are discussed by healthcare teams before treatment.


2. Proposal to ban smoking in all public parks ( commissioned by Boris Johnson, written by former Labour Health Minister Lord Darzi, and supported by England’s Chief Medical Officer ) virtually ignores atmospheric pollution caused by traffic !


3. Lord Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill ( allowing new treatments without evidence base or clinical trials ) is unnecessary and risky unless in exceptional circumstances ( like Ebola virus disease ).


• This is the FilipinoUK Forum . There are differences in life expectancy and health for the Philippines, largely related to resources. Government spending is less, both in real terms and as % of GDP ; most spending on health is by individuals " out of pocket " ; curable illnesses kill because Filipinos can’t afford treatment ; even if they can afford a doctor, there are fewer than in the UK ( around a quarter of our 370 doctors / 100,000 population ).


Perhaps the Daily Mail reporters should do a comparative study on the Philippines … or many other countries of the world envious of our NHS. That would put lurid headlines such as today’s “ Condemned to die by Waiting List Shambles ( Labour’s NHS Shame ) “ into perspective.

[KeithD]

Strange this has happened under a Tory government, and at any time they could have taken full control of the situation.

[Dedworth]

Strange this has happened under a Tory government, and at any time they could have taken full control of the situation.

The people of Wales voted for a Socialist Utopia

[KeithD]

The people of Wales voted for a Socialist Utopia

It doesn't matter, the UK government can overrule them when it comes to the NHS regardless of who is in power, and where.

[Doc Alan]

It doesn't matter, the UK government can overrule them when it comes to the NHS regardless of who is in power, and where.

Correct .


The devolved governments have operational control, but not financial control of the health service.


Those who voted " Yes " in the Scottish Referendum believed the country would then be free from the " stranglehold " of the Westminster Treasury by allowing politicians to control public finances and NHS policy.



There are differences in organization and delivery of the NHS, and it is not as easy as the Daily Mail claims to make direct comparisons .


England has GP- led Clinical Commissioning Groups who purchase health care. Spending in 2012-13 was £ 109 billion, with another £ 30 billion of specialist care.


Scotland has 14 Health Boards, no separation of purchasers and providers, and spending over £ 9 billion in the same year.


Wales has 7 Health Boards, no purchaser-provider split, and spent over £ 5 billion.


There are advantages of retaining a NATIONAL Health Service . That enabled my late Scottish colleague and friend Sam Galbraith to have his lung transplant in the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle. There are countless other examples of patients getting the best treatment, free of charge, wherever they live in the UK. How envious are those living in the Philippines of that situation !