General Election 2024

[Onelife]

I just hope that Wes when giving the Doctors their pay rise, he comes back with some legally binding commitment that Doctors must work a set number of years working for our NHS and not buggering off to another country having gained costly experience and expertise in this country. I don’t think this is unreasonable considering the ongoing training and cost that it takes to produce high quality Doctors.

I think that my idea kills two birds with one stone.

For each full year that a junior doctor works in the NHS they get their student grant paid for that year and after, say, 10 years then the whole grant is paid off. They in effect get a pay raise equivalent to the grant repayment and the NHS get the services of the doctors - must be a win, win

It might incentivise some to stay here, but the money to pay off their Uni fees still needs to come out of the NHS budget, and our taxes.

This is true John, but if Kier and his party are to be believed we should all be enjoying great economic prosperity within the time frame David has suggested.

[david63]

It might incentivise some to stay here, but the money to pay off their Uni fees still needs to come out of the NHS budget, and our taxes.

I don't disagree but money for the NHS has to come from somewhere not matter how it is utilised.

In actual fact in the long term it could be self financing if it encourages doctors to stay in the NHS then there would be a lesser need to recruit as many in the future.

Whether we (the general public) or the political parties like it or not we have to grab the whatsits by the thingies and accept that one way or another we have to pay more for our medical care.

[screwy]

The Trade Union woman on Kuensberg this morning said the Government had to borrow to get growth going.! Starmer says they’re not going to borrow.! It’s going to get messy.

[david63]

The Trade Union woman on Kuensberg this morning said the Government had to borrow to get growth going.! Starmer says they’re not going to borrow.! It’s going to get messy.

We 'aint got nothing to borrow against - even Rachael Reeves has said that.

[oldbluefox]

Either way the public have got to put their hands in their pockets to get the healthcare that they believe they should have.

The problem is that no political party will come out with that so instead they just keep on tinkering around the edges achieving nothing.

I wish somebody would have the courage to raise the taxes to pay for a proper service throughout the country. Currently some hospital trusts are still in the dark ages using outdated equipment. As a consequence surgeons and consultants are reluctant to work in those areas with poor resources and who can blame them. And who suffers the consequence?
How can it be right if you need invasive heart surgery you have to travel 100 miles to get it because it's not available locally?
Those on the continent and in Nordic countries pay much more in taxes but in return they get much better social care and health provision.

I would also charge those who fail to turn up for appointments, no excuses, no exceptions.

[Onelife]

Either way the public have got to put their hands in their pockets to get the healthcare that they believe they should have.

The problem is that no political party will come out with that so instead they just keep on tinkering around the edges achieving nothing.

I wish somebody would have the courage to raise the taxes to pay for a proper service throughout the country. Currently some hospital trusts are still in the dark ages using outdated equipment. As a consequence surgeons and consultants are reluctant to work in those areas with poor resources and who can blame them. And who suffers the consequence?
How can it be right if you need invasive heart surgery you have to travel 100 miles to get it because it's not available locally?
Those on the continent and in Nordic countries pay much more in taxes but in return they get much better social care and health provision.

I would also charge those who fail to turn up for appointments, no excuses, no exceptions.

My wife (25 years in nursing) was saying exactly the same …I of course agree with both of you.
If you did a poll tomorrow, I’m sure the majority would agree to a means tested - ring fenced tax for the NHS.

[david63]

I’m sure the majority would agree to a means tested - ring fenced tax for the NHS.

That could be done overnight.

Currently we have two taxes on pay - income tax and national insurance. My proposal would be to roll the national insurance into income tax, then use national insurance to fund the NHS and paid by everyone - workers, pensioners AND unemployed. It just needs a bit of creative thinking, but at the end of the day it will be painful for most of us and almost certainly result in whichever party introduced it to not being re-elected.

And this is where the problems arise. For all the political parties say about being for the country first, that is not so - it is their gravy train that they will look after first.

[towny44]

It might incentivise some to stay here, but the money to pay off their Uni fees still needs to come out of the NHS budget, and our taxes.

I don't disagree but money for the NHS has to come from somewhere not matter how it is utilised.

In actual fact in the long term it could be self financing if it encourages doctors to stay in the NHS then there would be a lesser need to recruit as many in the future.

Whether we (the general public) or the political parties like it or not we have to grab the whatsits by the thingies and accept that one way or another we have to pay more for our medical care.

But Sir Keir has promised not to increase taxes, and I hope the media and the general public will be as harsh on labour for not honouring election promises as they were on the Tories.

[david63]

But Sir Keir has promised not to increase taxes

But we all know that is not going to happen.

With my previous suggestion I would not initially increase the overall tax but just shuffle things round to create the future framework and if there was a dedicated NHS tax (ring-fenced in law) then I would guess that the majority of tax payers would accept rises to that tax.

[david63]

How can it be right if you need invasive heart surgery you have to travel 100 miles to get it because it's not available locally?

It cannot be right but on the other-hand there is no way that every procedure will ever be available at every hospital.

What is need is some forward planning over the next 20 years. Plan for centres of excellence to be within, say, a 50 mile radius (as far as is practical) but along with that introduce an efficient patient transport system to get to that centre. Currently I have a hospital that is three miles from where I live but if I need anything other than a minor procedure it is a 20 mile journey which takes, by car, the best part of an hour - and that is if I can find a parking space when I get there.

The big problem is that all governments look for the "quick fix" so that the public have the impression that they are doing something whereas sometimes more can be achieved by taking the long term view - as we used to say at work "it is confusing activity with action"

[oldbluefox]

It may need an all party select committee to sort out the problems in the long term and commit the spending plus the means of raising the funds needed.

I would scrap the nurses' 12 hour shifts and also reduce the amount of time spent on justifying what they are doing. Similarly in education more time is spent on planning and recording what you may do/have done than actually doing the job you have been trained for. Much of it is purely form filling to no tangible outcome.
I would also reinstate cottage hospitals/convalescent homes to relieve the pressure on hospital beds. Should have voted for me when you had the chance but if Joe Public can see it why not our politicians?

[david63]

I would scrap the nurses' 12 hour shifts

Not sure about that. From what I have seen many like that shift pattern as it gives them plenty of time off or to do overtime. Also with the 12 hour shifts there is not, in my experience, the swapping from days to nights - it is permanent days or nights. Other hospitals may work differently.

reduce the amount of time spent on justifying what they are doing

Couldn't agree more. When I was in hospital I never saw any of the ward sisters as they spent all their time "form filling". At one time the sister would do ward rounds - to make sure everything was OK before matron's rounds.

I would also reinstate cottage hospitals/convalescent homes to relieve the pressure on hospital beds.

I think in some areas they are trying to do that.

One thing that I would re-introduce would be the two tier nurses. At one time we had the lower qualified SENs and the more qualified SRNs - now we only have SRNs who spend three, or more, years getting a degree. Having a lesser qualification would encourage more to become nurses.

if Joe Public can see it why not our politicians?

Some of them probably can but unless they grab the headlines, and don't cost anything, then those at the top are not interested. I also suspect that there are too many obstacles to making changes from the various professional bodies as well as the NHS itself.

[towny44]

If you want radical change then you need to convince the civil service, after all it is they who actually run the country.

[Ray B]

Wishful thinking by the new government that they may be able to get some of the £240 million back from Rwanda.. Rwanda has said they don't have to pay it back, so it may take a lot of prity pleases to see if they will will make a refund.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Might as well send a few there then to get our moneys worth.....

[Stephen]

Does the government need a compo form.

[david63]

Does the government need a compo form.

Ask Angela Rayner - she's in charge whilst the boss is swanning around the world

[Mervyn and Trish]

Taking his wife for a freebie! Who's looking after the kids?

[david63]

There was one of the new ministers (cannot remember which one) who was saying that there were too many people in prison and that the demand has exceeded the supply and that prisoners need to be released early.

Now correct me if I am wrong here but is it not parliament who pass the laws which state the length of prison sentences for those who break said laws?

If there are too many in prison then change the laws to reduce the length of sentences - oh just remembered, cannot do that as it would upset too many people.

[Mervyn and Trish]

They also said they aim to reduce re-offending. I guess they'll do that by reducing the number of acts that qualify as criminal offences. Job done.

[Ray B]

Maybe taking away things like the telly, lowering C/H adding more rock breaking and more meals of porridge could help to make prison more of a deterrent.

[david63]

Maybe taking away things like the telly, lowering C/H adding more rock breaking and more meals of porridge could help to make prison more of a deterrent.

Can't do that it might be in breach of their human rights!

[Mervyn and Trish]

Maybe taking away things like the telly, lowering C/H adding more rock breaking and more meals of porridge could help to make prison more of a deterrent.

Can't do that it might be in breach of their human rights!

Possibly. But I believe rights only come with responsibilities. So I'm with Ray on this one. And bring back the Rack.

[Ranchi]

Yes, I’ve heard that HMP Franklin’s Rack of Lamb with aromatic herb infused pan juices, Taggiasche olive tapenade and summer garden vegetables is quite something.

[Mervyn and Trish]

So there are calls for a Bank Holiday if England wins the Euros.

Well that would be an easy win for the Government. They get the credit. Private businesses bear the cost!

But presumably it won't apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland!