NHS sell-off?

thomasross20

Somebody mentioned this to me today... about to read it in detail. Anybody else got wind of this?

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/17/nhs-taken-over-wall-street-cameron-health-service-privatisation

Moe_Zambeek

I spotted the author tag and read no further.

thomasross20

I can post from another source? 

Not trying stir anything up... just heard this from somebody who was passionately against any kind of sell-off (which may be totally fictional) - and to be honest, I'm against any sort of sell-off! I've seen how much they can pay in the States, Switzerland etc...

Sambostar

Alarmist Leftie nonsense.  This is just a trade deal for outsourcing.  If a company breach contract or don't deliver they can, or should still be held to account or lose the contract, depending on the terms.

Soon we will have private police forces on the streets of the UK too.

This is why we should be allowed firearms.

johnnyurq

Can't find the story I saw earlier but these mention it and it is more than a bit disturbing. I sincerely hope it is bollocks but suspect there may be some truth to it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/01/ttip-eu-us-trade-deal_n_5747088.html

http://nhap.org/government-signing-up-to-global-trade-deal-that-allows-nhs-sell-off-to-transnational-private-companies-with-no-turning-back/

Sambostar

People in the 40% uk tax band equivalent generally pay the same in the USA for council taxes, medicare and private health care as they do here, only problem is, if you earn peanuts and work 60hrs for a living for minimum wage or are self employed or contract, you pay double, as your employer contributions to your pension and private health care plan are zero, so, on a tenth of the salary, you have to stump up twice the contributions.  Although at least now you can/'t be struck off once you get ill and it reoccurs, as these things usually do.  Very fair, the poorest in society pay for the rest.

Sambostar

If we were allowed firearms there would be a lesser need for healthcare anyway.

thomasross20

You prefer America? The workaholic culture & lack of holidays always put me off!

Sambostar

Hee Hee, not only will contracts open up to US firms and contracts be eligible to their protectionist laws, but if anyone misbehaves or stands in the way for justice, they will be extradited too, probably to Guantanamo to be water boarded.

Sambostar

Workaholic culture is here too, has been for a few decades now or have you not noticed?

thomasross20

Not nearly as bad as it is in the States... I'm not working 9am-9pm like I know they do in a lot of tech companies (never mind parts of China, Korea where they only go home at weekends!). It's also a tad more relaxed in Scotland compared to the M4 corridor.

Sambostar

Yeah I've heard the stories of IT professionals working minimum wage, but from what I see it is about same, same in most other professions and they get the weekends off.  In fact in many States, the minimum wage is the same as ours.  Outgoings are the same, food slightly pricier, meat and diesel loads cheaper and of course housing is half the price at the most.

If you want to put a roof over your head in this country, you haven't any choice but to be a workaholic.

chillidoggy

Or a roofer.

Fretwired

Nothing will come of it. US companies are wary of Europe at the moment, especially the public sector. The EU is desperately trying to stimulate trade. - you'd think the EU would aim to set-up an EU wide health service. The buying power of 300+ million people would bring drug and equipment costs down. We could share resources and centres of excellence and conduct joint research. Won't happen as it's too sensible.

Myranda

Fretwired said:

Nothing will come of it. US companies are wary of Europe at the moment, especially the public sector. The EU is desperately trying to stimulate trade. - you'd think the EU would aim to set-up an EU wide health service. The buying power of 300+ million people would bring drug and equipment costs down. We could share resources and centres of excellence and conduct joint research. Won't happen as it's too sensible.

Apparently 503 million in the EU... 

Centralised admin could even bring a lot of costs down... 

I like the idea of an EU drugs researcher/manufacturer who could be a non-profit version of the massive drugs companies... so instead of companies making billions of monies out of peoples illnesses, that instead there was a mega-social-group-who-make-medicines-at-cost-prices... that also could drive prices down dramatically...

Sambostar

At least Verizon do cable maintenance and cut back all branches from the line in the USA. 

BT stopped doing that in the UK about twenty years ago.

Gassage

They could certainly help the NHS with dentures.

I've noticed that even film stars have dentures over there.

tonyrath

I seem to recall the last Labour government introducing PFI which means high interest loans being repaid for a long time. Also did not the Liverpool council hock off virtually everything under Derek Hatton to some really nice corporate finance people 

Gassage

It's a shame that this is so fucked up.

Equal education and health care are basic human rights IMO.

If I were made PM tomorrow, I'd raise taxes by 2% basic and 10% enhanced.

I'd then abolish all private medical care and private education.

I'd then spend all my tax money on putting in the best free Education and Health service ever seen anywhere in the world.

Drew_TNBD

Gassage said:

It's a shame that this is so fucked up.

Equal education and health care are basic human rights IMO.

If I were made PM tomorrow, I'd raise taxes by 2% basic and 10% enhanced.

I'd then abolish all private medical care and private education.

I'd then spend all my tax money on putting in the best free Education and Health service ever seen anywhere in the world.

So wait... why have I got to pay money for some kids to get education when I don't have any kids and don't benefit from it at all?

littlegreenman

Drew_fx said:

So wait... why have I got to pay money for some kids to get education when I don't have any kids and don't benefit from it at all?

I started to answer that, but then argued myself into a corner I can't reason my way out of. So, if anyone cleverer than me can answer it, please do.