Thank you for laying the facts out like this! I'm surprised they're planning to FINE people, that just seems far too heavy handed. Is there going to be, or is there, some kind of tax credit that helps in this area?
I work part time for a company who carried out surveys for the NHS on patient experience on hospital, and it really has enforced to me how despite the media here in the UK trying to tear down the NHS all the time, so many people are so thankful for the NHS. Of course there are complaints with a system like ours, my mum's been in agony for months waiting for an operation she really needs on her ankle. For many people, even those with private coverage in the UK, the NHS in an emergency is a top notch service that will not let you down, and you won't have to worry about the cost of the healthcare.
I've personally talked to and read the response sheets for thousands upon thousands of patients and the two most consistent complaints are probably about the food and the cost of parking. It does make me really happy that this is so!
Though at the same time people abuse the system a lot. My best friend is training to be a psychotherapist, the NHS pays for all her course fees and a bursary, and she already fully well knows that when she's finished her training she probably won't work for the NHS because of the dreadful wages. It has become something that a lot of people getting training on the NHS's penny do, especially dentists. Part of their requirement of the course is now usually that they have to spend x amount of time working for the NHS.
I don't think that any system is ever perfect but, as you said: for-profit health "insurance" is a crime against humanity and I couldn't agree more.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2010-03-22 06:24 pm (UTC)I work part time for a company who carried out surveys for the NHS on patient experience on hospital, and it really has enforced to me how despite the media here in the UK trying to tear down the NHS all the time, so many people are so thankful for the NHS. Of course there are complaints with a system like ours, my mum's been in agony for months waiting for an operation she really needs on her ankle. For many people, even those with private coverage in the UK, the NHS in an emergency is a top notch service that will not let you down, and you won't have to worry about the cost of the healthcare.
I've personally talked to and read the response sheets for thousands upon thousands of patients and the two most consistent complaints are probably about the food and the cost of parking. It does make me really happy that this is so!
Though at the same time people abuse the system a lot. My best friend is training to be a psychotherapist, the NHS pays for all her course fees and a bursary, and she already fully well knows that when she's finished her training she probably won't work for the NHS because of the dreadful wages. It has become something that a lot of people getting training on the NHS's penny do, especially dentists. Part of their requirement of the course is now usually that they have to spend x amount of time working for the NHS.
I don't think that any system is ever perfect but, as you said: for-profit health "insurance" is a crime against humanity and I couldn't agree more.