Government's Spending Challenge

[chardcire]

What bothers me about the government cuts and asking people to choose which services go means things like the library service is totally f***ed. Can you see the majority of people wanting to keep this service? What with schools now being well and truly screwed by the new idea that schools can be split and you can create new ones whenever... despite there being no money for it... well they will need places for kids to learn more and libraries provide that service. Seriously imagine a future without free information, with more credible sources than the internet in many cases.

 

As for the NHS as someone who has a long term condition/non visible disability I have to see a Doctor often and take medication for my health issues. Now I wouldn't be able to work without the support of the NHS, in fact many people with the same condition in America have very little quality of life due to being unable to afford the healthcare required. I would HAVE to go on 'Welfare' if it wasn't for the NHS and then what happens? Vicious little cycle.

[carolann]

Ditch the NHS and try for the American style. I've not looked into it, and maybe I'm wrong but isn't private health insurance in and around

[neil]

The American healthcare system is fabulous, best treatment I've ever received in my life. It's great when you have good coverage, but terrible when you don't.

[David]

It's great when you have good coverage, but terrible when you don't.

Exactly.

 

Plus, some of the horror stories i've heard of people in less than great health trying to get reasonably priced insurance would put virtually anyone off such a system.

 

The NHS has it's faults, but it's a good fucking system.

[Kenny McBride]

Alexander's point is the most sensible one here, even if it does come from a vested interest. Cutting spending in public services has a negative effect that's not readily measured and even harder to explain to the public. It's much easier to talk about slashing the pay of Whitehall mandarins than to look at investing money in tax collectors. It's easier to talk about the waste of NHS managers than to talk about funding preventative medicine. It's easier to talk about local government gravy trains than to pay for decent social housing and improving sink schools.

 

There is always waste and redundancy inherent in any system. Where possible, that needs to be reduced. However, cutting benefits is insane in the midst of a recession. You can't punish people for not having a job when there aren't any jobs to be had. The only failure of a Keynesian approach right now is that the last government racked up debt when the going was good rather than putting a little bit aside to deal with the rainy days we've got now. Even so, slash and burn cuts now aren't going to help. If anything, they're going to make things worse because the government is about the only organisation that is able to spend any serious money right now.

 

Oh, and for those advocating a one-child policy - are you fucking INSANE? Seriously?! Firstly, what are you going to do? Forced abortions? Or just ensure that anyone who accidentally gets pregnant a second time while unable to work is forced to starve their children to death? Secondly, we already have a ridiculously low birth rate in this country, coupled with a rapidly ageing population. If we cut the birth rate any more, we're going to be stuck with a society that is astonishingly over-balanced, leading to instant bankruptcy. On the bright side, I suppose if we've already legislated for forced abortions, it shouldn't be too hard to arrange the deaths of the unneeded old folks.

[Tommy!]

It's easier to talk about the waste of NHS managers than to talk about funding preventative medicine. It's easier to talk about local government gravy trains than to pay for decent social housing and improving sink schools.

 

When I was there for a spell a couple of years back there seemed quite the surge in preventative care as a long term cost saving measure, as well as CIP's trimming out waste. It wasn't my job, but I tryed to take an interest, I actually went to a conference on lowing cost through improved service on broken neck of femur which was actually really interesting. Any way, I went to some meetings which explained the system they had for allocating funding to new preventative care, it seemed quite the thing but I guess stuff like that needs money before it starts saving.

[Kenny McBride]

That's kind of my point though. It takes a lot of money and time and effort before you see the results of spending on preventative medicine. So much time and effort and money, in fact, that it becomes a very easy thing to cut spending on when you're looking for short-term political points, even though in the long run it ends up costing you lots more.

[David]

It takes a lot of money and time and effort before you see the results of spending on preventative medicine. So much time and effort and money, in fact, that it becomes a very easy thing to cut spending on when you're looking for short-term political points, even though in the long run it ends up costing you lots more.

Perhaps this Government is looking at the fact that it probably won't see any more than one term in office, and leaving the next Government with the high costs when their gone will give them ammo to get back in eventually.

 

[Steveo2007]

It takes a lot of money and time and effort before you see the results of spending on preventative medicine. So much time and effort and money, in fact, that it becomes a very easy thing to cut spending on when you're looking for short-term political points, even though in the long run it ends up costing you lots more.

Perhaps this Government is looking at the fact that it probably won't see any more than one term in office, and leaving the next Government with the high costs when their gone will give them ammo to get back in eventually.

So they're using the same trick Labour tried which ultimately lost them the election?

[David]

So they're using the same trick Labour tried which ultimately lost them the election?

There isn't a great record of politicians learning from their mistakes, is there?

[GalaxyV.2]

I can't believe we're even debating the NHS. Its the envy of the fucking world, and is the rgeatest thing politics in this country has ever ever ever produced. Sure its not perfect, but its pretty fucking good, and as someone who has dealt with it a lot over the last few years, I must say they were fantastic in every way.

 

Why do you think Obama wants to introduce it in America. Of course he can't, but his strive for better healthcare is hughely significant in American politics and will help so many poor people (and its just a start theres still so much to be done) Yeah its ok for those who can afford it, but maybe look into American healthcase system and then come back and tell me its better. Its ok for us on holiday over there as we have insurance, hell we can afford to go over there in the first place which means we must be pretty comfrotable. But for those that aren't, and for those who need it, the NHS is sensational and I will not hear anybody talk about getting rid of it.

[David]

I can't believe we're even debating the NHS.

We aren't, it's just a few random chumps who are mentioning the idea, obviously without thinking of the long-term problems it would cause.

[Steveo2007]

I can't believe we're even debating the NHS. Its the envy of the fucking world, and is the rgeatest thing politics in this country has ever ever ever produced. Sure its not perfect, but its pretty fucking good, and as someone who has dealt with it a lot over the last few years, I must say they were fantastic in every way.

 

Why do you think Obama wants to introduce it in America. Of course he can't, but his strive for better healthcare is hughely significant in American politics and will help so many poor people (and its just a start theres still so much to be done) Yeah its ok for those who can afford it, but maybe look into American healthcase system and then come back and tell me its better. Its ok for us on holiday over there as we have insurance, hell we can afford to go over there in the first place which means we must be pretty comfrotable. But for those that aren't, and for those who need it, the NHS is sensational and I will not hear anybody talk about getting rid of it.

Not debating the NHS as a whole as the NHS is as you say the envy of the world. But you have to admit that the NHS has expanded to truly absurd levels and provides services which shouldn't be offered on the NHS such as plastic surgery or dentistry. I think this was what people were worrying about in the US and the fact that the new legislation said that if people don't buy insurance they will be fined, is a terrible element of the legislation forcing something on people which they simply may not want.

 

I think it's ridiculous to argue in favour of an entirely privatised health care system, but there are parts that should be privatised as a way of helping save money and improve service.

[Kenny McBride]

Why shouldn't the NHS provide dentistry? Of course, it does in a way, but are you saying that poor people don't deserve good dental care? Did you know that people with gum disease are twice as likely to suffer coronary artery disease? It sounds crazy, I know, but a lack of affordable dentistry may be one of the reasons poor people have so many heart attacks. Do you know how much it costs to treat a gum infection versus treating a heart attack?

[GalaxyV.2]

think it's ridiculous to argue in favour of an entirely privatised health care system, but there are parts that should be privatised as a way of helping save money and improve service.

 

Perhaps, I probably got too worked up about it previously, my socialist side takes over and I go all red (literally)