Daniel Hannan, MEP seems to have put the cat amongst the pigeons by voicing his long held views that the NHS needs to be reformed into a Singapore type health system. Sadly, debate seems to have been squashed before it has even started. As he says:

The Singapore system produces better outcomes than ours for half the price. If we spent the same percentage of GDP on healthcare as now, but put equivalent power in the hands of our consumers, it seems not unreasonable to suppose that we would be much healthier. (Incidentally, the state pays for those who can't afford their own accounts in Singapore, as in every developed country. It never ceases to amaze me how many British people have been convinced that free healthcare for the poor is a unique property of the NHS.)

This is just the sort of debate that we should be having, but as John Prescott, ex Deputy Prime Minister, says about Daniel Hannan:

He's activelty campaigning with the Republicans and Sarah Palin in the US to stop America moving to a fairer healthcare system, saying he wouldn't wish the NHS on anybody! ... As we said before, the mask is slipping and Hannan is the true face of 'caring' Conservatism.

A 'fairer' system where everyone gets a degraded service, hardly seems fair to me. Those who work in the NHS do a wonderful job but we cannot continue sliding down the slippery slope of greater and greater cost for a more and more rationed service. Something will give, if we don't own up to the problems and try and sort them out.

Hopefully, a reasoned debate can be had.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

See also:

David Cameron, Conservative Party Leader, We are proud of the NHS

Fox news, Daniel Hannan Blasts Health Care Proposal

This comment is to be found on We are proud of the NHS

Comment by Clarkee73 on Aug 13 2009, 21:39

I agree with the princiles of the NHS but struggle with it on a day to day basis.

I have a significant knee injury and the NHS in Hertfordshire is far too slow. I run my own business and from a referral in June, I don't get to see a consultant until August with a further wait for surgery until either October or November.

Couple that with seeking incapacity allowance (or whatever it is called now) and still not having this sorted is a complete waste of time. Different departments do not share information and this leads to massive frustration.

The NHS needs to be funded more like the private sector, respond to the needs of patients and be able to respond. 18 weeks for treatment is incorrect and in my case and I suspect many others far too long to wait.

It will only be when all services are joined up, not supplying the same information to different departments and then looking at the clinical need of patients will this work.

As for me, I am extremely lucky to have a brother who out of his own pocket is paying for my surgery. Far quicker than the NHS that as a 40% tax payer for 20 years, I receive absolutely no benefit at all. I would suggest a tax break for a situation like this but I guess that this will fall on deaf ears. It is all about the headlines.

I would welcome a comment but I never expect to receive one.

It is all not too rosy out there and I would suspect that others such as I are feeling a bit disgruntled with the whole thing.

NHS needs more funding but it also needs the back up from the government to ensure that it is all one department, not seperate entities but I guess that you dont want to hear that

Matt Clarke