NHS a costly failed experiment?

[yardman]

It's true, diabetics do get free prescriptions, but with the amount of medication we have to take, many just wouldn't be able to afford their medicines.It might seem like a 'perk'because others with chronic long term illnesses have to pay for their meds.But believe me, I'd rather pay £100 for my prescriptions than have diabetes.I've had type 2 diabetes for over 30 years.I wasn't fat.My job at the time involved me carrying heavy weights up and down stairs all day.I was incredibly fit at the time, but I still got diabetes.I have managed to keep it tightly controlled but still suffer from complications.I've got nerve damage in my lower legs, had diabetic cataracts removed from both eyes, needed surgery on both knees and I am on the Active transplant list for a kidney.The diabetes has destroyed my kidneys and I now only have 11% kidney function left.So others may consider the free prescriptions a perk.But I'd much rather pay for my prescriptions and have my health back.

[toxo]

The NHS has been struggling for some time but for me the biggest threat to the NHS has been the Tory government. They've always worked on the principle that making money with money is the best and easiest way to go. To this end they've always looked at ways to make things look right rather than being right. PFIs and outreach clinics being an example.

My daughter phoned me to ask if I could drive her 45 miles to just such a clinic because Medway hospital (The only hospital in the Medway area which includes Rochester, Strood, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham, - collectively looking for city status) couldn't deal with a dog bite to her finger (I kid you not). I took her to a clinic in East Grinstead that was supposed to be a specialist clinic. To justify their existence they kept her in for a week, because they wanted to be sure there was no infection. To this day she still can't straighten that finger.

 

The biggest burden on the NHS is the ever rising cost of drugs. Why the government can't do something about this is beyond me. There is free enterprise and there is extortion.

 

As has already been said, the waste in all departments of the NHS is tremendous. It's no good blaming the people who are already overworked because they don't act like accountants. They weren't trained for that. There is a solution, you just have to have someone in the right position to want to find it.

 

Some streamling to the NHS wouldn't go amiss either. How many of us have had to have more than one blood test because "We didn't test for that"?

 

When the GP gets the result of the test he takes his best guess and hands out drugs. A week or two later, if it didn't work he'll give you different drugs or another blood test form.

 

Now consider this; The blood test lab is the new heart of the NHS. Everyone has a blood test and the results from that blood test are checked and analysed by the Lab and the lab TELLS the GP exactly what's wrong with you (including anything underlying that no=one even suspects yet) and how to treat it effectively.

 

The saving would be measured in Billions.

[norfolk dumpling]

Just had an 'old man' blood test and a very chubby nurse told me my BMI slightly too high - hers very high! All else ok so keep drinking the red wine.

[rjimmer]

The NHS is the only form of Socialism that I approve of.

Things seem to have gone downhill since it was lumped together with the Social Security dept.