In todays news...

[Noggin]

But maybe a change in the way the places were managed was needed, not for the state to wash their hands of them.

They do get a shit ton of money and are the biggest employer in europe.

IIRC the French medical system gets something like 25% more govt money per resident than the NHS.

And any time I've visited, it's never seemed over-staffed.

People keep telling me here that we pay a LOT more tax for that benefit!

And on the over staffing thing, that's kind of what I mean. The whole structure of the NHS needs to be looked at and reworked to enable it to function properly

The set up here is completely different because we do pay more in tax (I'm told) but also you can't get the 'free'* treatment without your Carte Vitale which essentially proves you have the right to treatment. Without that, you will be paying 100% costs for everything

* even with the CV, it only covers 70%. However, most people have an insurance to cover than 30%. That varies in price but mine is less than 40€ a month and has covered everything from surgery, doctor visits, full-time rehab and all the physio.


It is however dying on its feet, so doctors and surgeons have told me. But, I am not sure exactly why (because I can't read French and haven't talked to people about it in French yet). But they are struggling to get GPs, Dentists and others, especially in rural areas.

Any social care is never easy or perfect.

[DefTrap]

FWIW, I have no direct experience of the French system, but I know it has served friends well.

Access to GPs I find is pretty good, fairly minimal wait, I always get to see the same guy. I do feel they maybe over-prescribe (I've never had a medicine cabinet that has bulged this big in the past) - but then I am at an age when pillpopping and ointment frequency seems to accelerate.

Outpatient stuff is mainly contracted out to satellite clinics rather than all located at the hospital - so for dermatology, blood tests, x-rays, physio etc etc etc I go somewhere else. For some of these, wait times are anecdotally as bad as in the UK, but once you're in there it's VERY efficient. Hospital specialists typically have a lead time from a couple of months upwards, but again once you're in there it's all pretty efficient and doesn't feel overcrowded.

Overall I'm happy with how it works. Bear in mind this is my own experience of the French system in a semi-rural area with an average size regional hospital - other areas may be completely different. As for expense, Fronch cotisations are notoriously high in comparison to UK NI. So maybe be careful for what you wish for.

[Pirahna]

IIRC the French medical system gets something like 25% more govt money per resident than the NHS.

And any time I've visited, it's never seemed over-staffed.

I believe the US is the worlds biggest spender per capita

Govt funded, or private?

I believe it's the government budget which is the highest in the world, that's then hoovered up by the private system with the highest health charges in the world.

[slowsider]

[Skub]

Like a scene from American Gods.

[MingtheMerciless]

E02AC18A-DD4B-486F-BEC7-75C53DFE6FE9.jpeg (213.91 KiB) Viewed 441 times

[Pirahna]

Not mine

Admit it, you're all waiting for Nadine Dorries to be promoted from a position she doesn't understand, to a job she can't do, in a department requiring skills she doesn't possess.

[Mussels]

Again?

[irie]

I'm proud of my track record of never having voted Conservative.

Why?

Many reasons, but basically Conservative values are so far removed from my own. Sometimes it's worth stopping for a moment and thinking about what's going on around you. Did you get a train to work today? Many people took an Arriva train, the state owned German railway company which uses UK public transport to subsidise the German system. Used any electricity today? You might well be making it cheaper for the French to plug their kettles in.

Then there's the slow death of the NHS. Got private heath insurance (I'm guilty of this), the doctor who treated you probably did so splitting her time between the NHS and private hospitals, letting the NHS waiting list grow ever longer. Under funding of every part of the health service and allowing private systems to fill the gaps.

In my head the list goes on and on. Run everything at maximum profit and fuck off if you can't afford it. Didn't some minister recently say that if the cost of living is hurting to get a better job.

The answer, of course, is to run all 'services' at mere break-even and make the government finance all future investments.

Perhaps you would care to indicate where and how the government would raise the finance for such future investment?

Thanks.

[Lutin]

I really do think that Bozo is utterly divorced from reality. There's something psychologically wrong with him as he cannot comprehend that he has done any wrong.

The BBC are reporting that Brandon Lewis (now ex-Northern Ireland secretary, as of about 20:20 today) was apparently heckled on a flight back from Belfast with the passenger telling him: "You are complicit in the betrayal of this country by Boris Johnson."

And he genuinely thinks he can win the next general election?

The padded room and jacket with extra long sleeves awaits.

[Horse]

And he genuinely thinks he can win the next general election?

The BBC has also been told Mr Johnson has been stressing that "millions" voted for him, and questioning whether any of his would-be successors would be able to "replicate his electoral success at the next election".

Reuters:
Despite the clamour for him to resign, Johnson said he had a mandate from the 2019 national election, which he won with a large majority, to plough on.

Yougov:
Mr Johnson has an approval rating of 24 percent - correct as of June 2

[Cousin Jack]

Not mine

Admit it, you're all waiting for Nadine Dorries to be promoted from a position she doesn't understand, to a job she can't do, in a department requiring skills she doesn't possess.

She has a very wide range of jobs open to her!

[Cousin Jack]

Perhaps you would care to indicate where and how the government would raise the finance for such future investment?

The answer of course is the magic money tree. Mr Corbyn knows where it is.

[slowsider]

Perhaps you would care to indicate where and how the government would raise the finance for such future investment?

The answer of course is the magic money tree. Mr Corbyn knows where it is.

It's people like you waving the spectre of Corbyn about that paved the way for Johnson, dont forget.
And dont tell me it could have been worse.

[mangocrazy]

Perhaps you would care to indicate where and how the government would raise the finance for such future investment?

The answer of course is the magic money tree. Mr Corbyn knows where it is.

Mr Corbyn is entirely irrelevant to this conversation. The popular press saw to that. Boris and his cronies are the ones shaking the magic money tree and diverting its fruits into the coffers of themselves and their Tory mates.

[cheb]

I'm not sure you can blame the doctors splitting their time on the Tories, I think it's been like that since the formation of the NHS. There's been attempts at reforms but they've generally failed at the prospect of industrial action by the doctors.

[Bigjawa]

He's fired Gove apparently. Looks like the 1922 Committee aren't changing the rules to enable another vote.

I reckon they'll literally have to drag him out in cuffs, foaming at the mouth.

[demographic]

It's Corbyns fault that Boris(and the rest of his current party who have all nailed their colours to his mast numerous times) is so inconsistent. Corbyn is gone, blam the one who's in charge.

Unless you actually think that Corbyn had huge power, in which case I reckon you believe in him more than anyone, maybe he should be PM?

[Bigjawa]

If you were looking to save money, scrap Trident. The UK is a tiny island nation. If those things ever fly, there either an incoming attack or if they're fired first, any retaliation would be devastating.

Either way, if they're used, we're all dead.

[Horse]

He's fired Gove apparently. Looks like the 1922 Committee aren't changing the rules to enable another vote.

IIRC the 1922 elections are next Monday so, potentially, the new committee could have a vote in days to change the rules.

If they do, they'll need a bigger letterbox.