Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

Good (thought you had given up too easily mindbender) As Wrinkley says the NHS isn't free, we all contribute throughout our working lives. It is a collective/communal system and is "delivered free at the point of need." The other solution would be to all pay into insurance policies as individuals and then draw on an individual pot - which will mean when an individual's pot runs out so does the treatment. The NHS is non-profit making where insurance companies are not and that would probably make a difference to the cost for the individual overall. It's a gamble, but on balance I know which system I prefer and if I don't need as much treatment as the next person they I consider I am lucky - nobody wants to be ill so they can get their money's worth and nobody knows what or how much treatment they are actually going to need throughout their life and, therefore, what they will need out of the communal pot of healthcare monies.

I hope you are not having a hissy fit there in OZ Minder and throwing your teddy out of the pram - You may well win the next round and your posts do provoke inerest - so keep them coming please.

Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

No! this is a good, clean debate with no nastiness on either side whatsoever and it's a pleasure to read...

Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

Well here we have this big pot of NHS money [contributions] and where do they come from - workers - do the unemployed make contributions? doubt it - travellers? doubt it - the retired on pensions ? doubt it. so the people who are jacking up the NHS have always been the workers.

So if you as a worker have lived all your life contributing and then retire and never need the NHS services then you have given up your money for the betterment of others that you don't know and have never met. That must be one notch above Mother Theresa who only contributed to those she could see before her very eyes.

Never thought about it like that before - the workers contribute for the shirkers, and the heavy smokers, heavy drinkers and heavy eaters. This must be a peculiarly British trait?

as I've mentioned before when I arrived in OZ I did what many others did - take out private health insurance - it was cheap back then but even now I consider it worth it. Few years back had a false alarm heart scare was in hospital for 2 days - cost $5000 who paid not me and I pay less than that per year for my insurance. But it's not just for one off things like that - it's for the entire family [immediate] and I get annual specs, dental attention when needed and hearing devices, physio care, chiropodists if needed all paid for.

who are the beneficiaries of this paid in annual fee - mainly my family who can all draw on the above. Is my money used by others - only those in the same scheme - if you ain't in it you don't get it. Get it?

I think some of the private insurers are offering reduced annual fees if you declare you are a non-smoker and non-drinker. So the fitter I am the less I pay. Sounds much neater than the NHS

Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

I don't think anyone's knocking the UK , just comparing the differences, as much as I love living in the South Australian 'backwater' of Adelaide there'll always be a special bit of my heart in good old 'Geordieland'
I lived in Perth first when arriving in Oz, beautiful place, also NSW, Qld (fabulous,) Vic NT but came back to SA for the laid back lifestyle and it's a small city so suits me fine , probably seen more of Oz than most Aussies!

Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

[B] " if you ain't in it you don't get it. Get it? "[/B

I hope Aus and the UK never get to be like the USA where an ambulance will leave you in the street to wait for a 'free ambo' if you haven't got insurance
and hospitals can refuse admission for the same reason

Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

Also don't assume "the unemployed" are all non tax payers, many have worked and paid tax for years and years before losing a job. And make distictions like only those who pay in get treatment will mean of course anyone disabled or ill from birth and unable to work will get caught up in this too.

Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

Thankfully. Very few of us in the UK give a second thought about paying into our health service and who do or don't deserve to be treated.
It was designed to give medical treatment to every single person in the UK, at the point of need, regardless of income and if they are in work or not. It has been a great asset to the health and welfare of it's people.
As a family we have rarely needed to use it, but on the occasions that we have, we have been grateful for it.

I, personally have no problem with paying into a system that I use rarely, if it helps my neighbour when he does.
I would hate to have to think money, when one of my loved ones was critically ill.

Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

I'm FAT/OBESE I make no bones about it, but as to how I got this fat ah!! Up to age 59 I had very few medical problems and only been in hospital twice 1/ birth of son 2/ removal of ovarian cyst, then I had a heart attack and continuing heart probs, among the medication I was given Amiodorone, I spent 3 years begging them to take me off it, but no, it's benefit outweighed it's side effects. They were wrong in those 3 yrs I put on 4 stones result I'm now obese, my thyroid is damaged which caused the obesity and needing lifelong medication, I have an umbilical hernia and am borderline diabetic. Which part of this was my fault?? Although I have a few other health probs and take 20 meds a day, the docs are very pleased with me cos I'm rarely in hospital I'm saving the NHS money, even though I am costing them it. I also worked and paid taxes and nat. ins. from 15.
Please don't assume every fat person eats junk food cos I certainly don't all my meals are made from scratch, I'm too tight to buy junk.

Re: Doctors - The Final Arbitrator?

point taken Hazel!