Should the NHS be privatised?

[Vosem]

Lord Sugar lashed out at Ken this afternoon and it came out that Ken uses private healthcare.

WHY did Labour nominate this idiot? WHY?

What's wrong with using private health care, even if you're a socialist in a country with the NHS?  Is it a sign of disrespect towards the NHS?  I highly doubt that it's taboo to get news from a source other than the BBC. 

It's very much a taboo. You don't have to pay to go onto the ITN or the Sky website, but you do to use Bupa. And it is a sign of disrespect for the health service.

For a comparison, you'll struggle to find many politicians who want to go far sending their kids to private school.

It also implies that they're being run badly if you're the incumbent.

Good; more people should use private health-care, everywhere. The NHS should be privatized.

[State Comptroller Atkins]

Lord Sugar lashed out at Ken this afternoon and it came out that Ken uses private healthcare.

WHY did Labour nominate this idiot? WHY?

What's wrong with using private health care, even if you're a socialist in a country with the NHS?  Is it a sign of disrespect towards the NHS?  I highly doubt that it's taboo to get news from a source other than the BBC.  

It's very much a taboo. You don't have to pay to go onto the ITN or the Sky website, but you do to use Bupa. And it is a sign of disrespect for the health service.

For a comparison, you'll struggle to find many politicians who want to go far sending their kids to private school.

It also implies that they're being run badly if you're the incumbent.

Good; more people should use private health-care, everywhere. The NHS should be privatized.

You know, British people who share that viewpoint make American Ron Paulites look mainstream by comparison.

[You kip if you want to...]

Lord Sugar lashed out at Ken this afternoon and it came out that Ken uses private healthcare.

WHY did Labour nominate this idiot? WHY?

What's wrong with using private health care, even if you're a socialist in a country with the NHS?  Is it a sign of disrespect towards the NHS?  I highly doubt that it's taboo to get news from a source other than the BBC. 

It's very much a taboo. You don't have to pay to go onto the ITN or the Sky website, but you do to use Bupa. And it is a sign of disrespect for the health service.

For a comparison, you'll struggle to find many politicians who want to go far sending their kids to private school.

It also implies that they're being run badly if you're the incumbent.

Good; more people should use private health-care, everywhere. The NHS should be privatized.

Not many people can afford private health care and most private providers use the NHS's facilities anyway.

[Sibboleth]

Let's avoid a total thread derailment, please.

[Leftbehind]

Ok, but I just have to mention the last poll I seen on it had more people supporting nationalising supermarkets than privatising the NHS.

[Sibboleth]

Which, of course, does work very well as a 'last word' on the subject...

[Vosem]

Lord Sugar lashed out at Ken this afternoon and it came out that Ken uses private healthcare.

WHY did Labour nominate this idiot? WHY?

What's wrong with using private health care, even if you're a socialist in a country with the NHS?  Is it a sign of disrespect towards the NHS?  I highly doubt that it's taboo to get news from a source other than the BBC.  

It's very much a taboo. You don't have to pay to go onto the ITN or the Sky website, but you do to use Bupa. And it is a sign of disrespect for the health service.

For a comparison, you'll struggle to find many politicians who want to go far sending their kids to private school.

It also implies that they're being run badly if you're the incumbent.

Good; more people should use private health-care, everywhere. The NHS should be privatized.

You know, British people who share that viewpoint make American Ron Paulites look mainstream by comparison.

I understand that, but from what I've read about the British health-care system, I've always surprised there isn't more support for privatization; maybe I'm just American, but it seems privatizing roads is a much more extreme-capitalist position than privatizing health-care. And I've read a lot of complaint about inefficiency, but again, I get my news largely from American sources + Wikipedia. With hope, this issue will turn around, but I don't think I have that much faith.

Ok, but I just have to mention the last poll I seen on it had more people supporting nationalising supermarkets than privatising the NHS.

Well, idiots exist everywhere.

Which, of course, does work very well as a 'last word' on the subject...

Well, in the context of actual NHS privatization in Britain in the near future, I'll grant you it does, but certainly not in the context of whether a private or public system is actually better for the people/state. Public opinion isn't everything.

[State Comptroller Atkins]

IIRC, Ashcroft did a poll recently asking people how they would vote if there were an "NHS Party". It got around 20%, thereby dividing the left-wing vote enough to allow the Tories to lead. So I suppose from your perspective, it would be a good thing if that hypothetical party existed.

I think the only current elected politician here who has openly called for NHS privatisation is Daniel Hannan. Of course, he's an MEP so he doesn't have to worry as much about re-election.

[crypto-fascist superhero]

Didn't David Laws call for partial privatization?

[State Comptroller Atkins]

Not sure, but it wouldn't be all that surprising I suppose. Although I recall reading an article on the Guardian (or some other prominent left-leaning news site) calling for Lansley to be replaced by Laws because "it could stop privatisation".

[dialectical fetishist]

No.

That's all that needs to be said to this ridiculous proposal.

[opebo]

Vosem, British people have the spectacle of the USA to remind them that privatization means death.

[You kip if you want to...]

Funny that most people in Britain's response to such a question would be something along the lines of "Oh god, no! We don't wanna end up like the States. That'd be evil."

[dialectical fetishist]

Funny that most people in Britain's response to such a question would be something along the lines of "Oh go, no! We don't wanna end up like the States. That'd be evil."

There's no real argument left for private healthcare other than ridiculous strawman statements.

[bore]

Money wasted on the NHS by the UK government has nothing on money wasted by the US government on healthcare, even though the NHS is 30000000000 times fairer. Even if you are basing your ideal healthcare system purely on economics (which is a terrible thing to do) privatization would be a bad idea.

[You kip if you want to...]

Money wasted on the NHS by the UK government has nothing on money wasted by the US government on healthcare, even though the NHS is 30000000000 times fairer. Even if you are basing your ideal healthcare system purely on economics (which is a terrible thing to do) privatization would be a bad idea.

NHS waste doesn't technically "matter", with the NHS not being a business, beyond anything more than populist gain.

[dialectical fetishist]

Am I the only person who finds it amusing that most of the anti-UHCers on Atlas are under 16?

[bore]

Money wasted on the NHS by the UK government has nothing on money wasted by the US government on healthcare, even though the NHS is 30000000000 times fairer. Even if you are basing your ideal healthcare system purely on economics (which is a terrible thing to do) privatization would be a bad idea.

NHS waste doesn't technically "matter", with the NHS not being a business, beyond anything more than populist gain.

Why would the government spending money it doesn't have to in a way which doesn't improve the service not matter?

Am I the only person who finds it amusing that most of the anti-UHCers on Atlas are under 16?

In fairness, most of the posters on Atlas are under 16.

[politicus]

No, healthcare is one of the very few areas where government run services are generally cheaper than private options.
With an aging population the cost of healthcare is already going to go through the roof in Western societies, no reason to make it even more expensive.

[danny]

Of course not, that's a terrible idea. Leaving people dependent on the private sector on healthcare is always a bad.