General Election

[oldbluefox]

[
Not really Barney, I started working in a nationalised industry so I know how inefficient they are, and that was the electricity industry which was probably the most efficient of them. But the PFI lenders have had quite a generous deal now for a number of years, so now time to recoup some of Gordon Browns over generosity.

Up here it was Tony Bliar who instigated PFI. (Incidentally I think it was that other clown Major who had the initial bright idea so not all Labour's fault). PFI has almost brought our local hospitals to their knees in order to service the debt. Little wonder how annoyed I get when I see Bliar's smarmy little face on the box telling the rest of us what we should do. I'm afraid, ever since he had to be smuggled out of the back door after a meeting in Carlisle he is not very welcome in these parts and hasn't been back since.
I agree it is time the loans were re-negotiated.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Yes PFI was enthusiastically embraced by both Tories and Labour but while it made the balance sheets look attractive has been a disaster in every other way. Time to tell the operators the gravy train is ending.

[oldbluefox]

PFI was a disaster for the NHS. Twelve hour shifts for the nurses and doctors is unreasonable IMO. A&E has too many people there who are neither A nor E including those who will not wait for an appointment to see their doctor and illegal immigrants who can be seen without having an NI number. Rightly or wrongly is this why hospital A&E departments are struggling?

[david63]

those who will not wait for an appointment to see their doctor

But the argument there is that there are not enough GPs so you have to wait too long for an appointment.

You cannot solve a problem in one area of the NHS without it having a knock on affect in another area. Basically the NHS is too big to manage and needs to be taken out of the political area and run by competent experienced managers of large organisations.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I think some kind of nominal charge for some services is inevitable. Two thirds of A&E attendances are for drink related issues. If they had to pay say £20 they might be less inclined to turn up looking for a hangover cure but it wouldn't put off real emergencies. Another chunk turn up for a second opinion because they don't like what their GP said. As for GPs that service is falling apart largely because of Labour's botched new contract and failure to match it with extra training places.

[screwy]

I dont know about other GP Practices but ours is run by 4 Doctors all on a part time basis.? My preferd Doc works Mon.Wed and Friday, what does he do the other2 days.? It is still a well run practice though and it isnt a problem getting an appt.

[oldbluefox]

Our doctor's surgery is much the same. None of the doctors seem to be in attendance five days a week but it is also a teaching surgery so usually there is no problem in getting an appointment. We also have a clinic which you attend by appointment. If there are no appointments in the surgery and need to see a doctor right away they can refer you to the clinic where there is a doctor on duty, and a senior nurse.
I once came back from a trip down south with what I suspected could be shingles, called in to my doctor's surgery and as it was later in the day and no appointments avaiulable I was referred straight away to the clinic where a doctor diagnosed it and gave me the necessary medication. The system works well.
My mother was once taken into hospital and whilst waiting in A&E was told by a nurse of her frustration that genuinely ill people were having to wait because of people who had little wrong with them but were not prepared to wait for an appointment. For many they could have seen a pharmacist who would have given them something over the counter. I think some hospital A&Es now operate a triage system to weed out those who are neither A nor E, and the occasional timewasters.
I am always amazed at the doctor's and the dentist's, and even outpatients how many no shows there are. They don't help waiting times.

[david63]

how many no shows there are

If I had anything to do with it they would get one chance and on the second no show, unless there was a good verifiable reason, they would be taken totally out of the NHS system and be made to pay for all of their treatments

[oldbluefox]

I agree David but could you imagine the uproar from the snowflakes. I would charge them £20 if they wanted to make the next appointment irrespective of whether they are on benefits etc or not. No pay, no treatment. (I suppose then they would go and clutter up A&E!!!!).
Our dentist just wipes them off the books after 2 missed appointments. Seems fair enough to me.

[towny44]

A stern triage nurse in A&E is needed to weed out those patients who should be seeing their GP or even asking their chemist for their advice.
I notice that Merv's old employer is winding up the electorate about both A&E waiting times and delays in operations exceeding the NHS limits, they obviously reckon Jeremy will be a softer touch to reinstate the Govt paying for over 75's TV licenses.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I know it doesn't suit your bias Towny but they gave the Labour Party a similarly hard time about NHS targets. So much so that Alistair Campbell complained about right wing bias. And if, God help us, Jezzer gets in he'll be under the spotlight too.

[Stephen]

If this isn't a bribe I don't know what is.

News Daily: Labour broadband pledge, and child allergies rise https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50421177

[Mervyn and Trish]

Give me a fiver Stephen and I'll tell you what a bribe is......

[Manoverboard]

Seems they are thinking of re-privatising BT.

Comrade McDonnel(?) estimates 20 Billion but BT say it will be nearer £100 Billion by the time they have added Talk-Talk plus Virgin etc.

Diane Abbot has yet to advise the official figures.

[barney]

Free broadband ?

Free everything !!

Yay !!

Most of us on here are old duffers and will probably be pushing up daisies by the time the bill comes in, so fill yer boots.

Let the kids pick the bill up for a change

To be honest, it does appear that Labour don't really want to win this election and are doing everything possible to make themselves unelectable.
Maybe Jezza is happier in opposition, being the party of protest.

I've figured it's all irrelevant anyway because the losers have already decided that they will not accept the result because

1. People didn't know what they were voting for
2. It was only advisory
3. Party X spent £24.97 too much so therefore the result is null and void
4. The Russians were running around with 56 seater coaches and bussing people into the polling booths, and forcing them to vote in a particular way.

Take your pick

[Onelife]

You've got more chance of receiving Keefy chocolates than what Father (Christmas) Corbyn is offering.......how anyone can take the labour party seriously is beyond me.

[Stephen]

Free broadband ?

Free everything !!

Yay !!

Most of us on here are old duffers and will probably be pushing up daisies by the time the bill comes in, so fill yer boots.

Let the kids pick the bill up for a change

To be honest, it does appear that Labour don't really want to win this election and are doing everything possible to make themselves unelectable.
Maybe Jezza is happier in opposition, being the party of protest.

I've figured it's all irrelevant anyway because the losers have already decided that they will not accept the result because

1. People didn't know what they were voting for
2. It was only advisory
3. Party X spent £24.97 too much so therefore the result is null and void
4. The Russians were running around with 56 seater coaches and bussing people into the polling booths, and forcing them to vote in a particular way.

Take your pick

[david63]

Seems they are thinking of re-privatising BT.

Comrade McDonnel(?) estimates 20 Billion but BT say it will be nearer £100 Billion by the time they have added Talk-Talk plus Virgin etc.

It's the new game - Election Poker.

I'll see your NHS funding and raise you free Broadband

[Stephen]

Seems they are thinking of re-privatising BT.

Comrade McDonnel(?) estimates 20 Billion but BT say it will be nearer £100 Billion by the time they have added Talk-Talk plus Virgin etc.

It's the new game - Election Poker.

I'll see your NHS funding and raise you free Broadband

I'll see your NHS and raise you business rate cuts

[johnds]

Would you feel secure with a marxist state controlled Internet connection free or not?
Able to access the internet only when permitted by political "leaders" able to intercept all your communications.
1984 may be late but the Corbynistas are catching up

[Stephen]

Would you feel secure with a marxist state controlled Internet connection free or not?
Able to access the internet only when permitted by political "leaders" able to intercept all your communications.
1984 may be late but the Corbynistas are catching up

Not in a million years John

[Mervyn and Trish]

Anyone offering free cruises for pensioners gets my vote.

[towny44]

With all these expensive promises of free Uni, free broadband, no NHS waiting times and 2 GPs for every patient (OK that's my exaggeration), then surely the Labour party are treating the electorate as illiterate idiots. Because any voter with a modicum of intelligence must realise that these freebies, and the plans to spend hundreds of billions on privatisation, will be impossible to implement. The frightening thing is just what do these Marxists intend to do to have any chance of getting re-elected, because Mcdonnell is not stupid, he must have a plan to ensure they can remain in power, and you can be sure it will not include making us happier or wealthier.

[Manoverboard]

Seems they are thinking of re-privatising BT.

Comrade McDonnel(?) estimates 20 Billion but BT say it will be nearer £100 Billion by the time they have added Talk-Talk plus Virgin etc.

It's the new game - Election Poker.

I'll see your NHS funding and raise you free Broadband

I'll see your Broadband and raise you 60,000,000 trees

[david63]

able to intercept all your communications

We have that now

With all these expensive promises of free Uni, free broadband, no NHS waiting times and 2 GPs for every patient (OK that's my exaggeration), then surely the Labour party are treating the electorate as illiterate idiots. Because any voter with a modicum of intelligence must realise that these freebies, and the plans to spend hundreds of billions on privatisation, will be impossible to implement. The frightening thing is just what do these Marxists intend to do to have any chance of getting re-elected, because Mcdonnell is not stupid, he must have a plan to ensure they can remain in power, and you can be sure it will not include making us happier or wealthier.

All of this is possible if you use the Dianne Abbott accounting practice where you can use the same pot of money several times