The future of the NHS

[The Cowboy]

Article on my local news right now about some proposals for the future of the NHS.

Just wondering what your thoughts are on the NHS. I'm talking practical ideas, no need to bring politics into it.

Seems that the NHS Walk-In centres have disappeared. Real shame that, was great as an A&E-lite option when you just needed a prescription or to sort a minor injury.

One of the proposals for Essex was a dedicated old folks hospital. Could work, I guess.

 

[Yorkie]

Having the sound on the tellies in the A&E waiting rooms

 

[anjelikaferrett]

I haven't interacted with the NHS for many years (Thank God and touch wood) apart from the odd minor illness requiring a visit to the GP. Recently my Mum was diagnosed with a terminal illness and it has been a nightmare. I don't mean treatment wise, that's been fine but trying to communicate with anybody about how and why certain decisions were being made, trying to get care packages in place for when she came home. A complete lack of communication with nobody taking responsibility for anything. It seems to me that there is far too much admin and beaurocracy (sp?) that is clogging up the whole system.

They used to have long term geriatric wards in hospitals. Great idea - better than unscrupulous care homes run entirely for profit.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think the future of healthcare is incredibly bright. The future of the NHS much less so. I had a chat this morning with a lady from the BMJ and had a collective head bang about the dysfunctionality of the service.

 

[Joey66]

Stop degrees for nurses train on the wards, and learn in a technical college nearby, cut back heavily on appointment administration use e mails text where possible for appointments, stop or cutback NHS surgeons practice of private treatment get better managers in save monies to give a 24 hour NHS!

 

[LEONARD]

I have always been been resistant to Malthusian arguments, but with a UK population rapidly approaching 70 million, and many of us living longer, the NHS appears to be creaking at the seams.

The reality has to be significantly higher taxes I feel.

 

[Tree13]

It's about time refundable deposits were introduced for GP appointments. Turn up and you get it back; fail to appear and they keep it.

The quid pro quo for that should be that all GP surgeries should be required to open on Saturdays, and offer evening appointments (up until 8pm, maybe) at least three nights per week. No more of this having to book six weeks in advance for an appointment, which essentially requires you to predict your illnesses in advance with an accuracy that would make Nostrodamus blink.

 

[roydo]

Educate people that the NHS is not an excuse to turn up at a GP with a runny nose or an achey leg.

Educate people that A&E is not a final destination after a night out.

And educate the NHS to actually spend money properly.

 

[Jags..class]

Too many people use the NHS and hospitals are not coping

More hospitals and more staff is needed, which will most us billions.

So how do we raise this money?
Maybe we should bring in a new tax called NHS tax, based on dependents. So 10 per adult and 5 pound per child. So a family of 4 would pay an extra 20 a month on tax.

 

[orly]

Too many people use the NHS and hospitals are not coping

More hospitals and more staff is needed, which will most us billions.

So how do we raise this money?
Maybe we should bring in a new tax called NHS tax, based on dependents. So 10 per adult and 5 pound per child. So a family of 4 would pay an extra 20 a month on tax.

National Insurance is the NHS tax.

You'd never get through another tax for the health service.

You're also absolutely slamming the poor there who tend to have larger families through poor education and family planning.

You've also suggested taxing children essentially. Holy moly.

 

[hibbo'sclass]

National Insurance is the NHS tax.

You'd never get through another tax for the health service.

You're also absolutely slamming the poor there who tend to have larger families through poor education and family planning.

You've also suggested taxing children essentially. Holy moly.

I believe that National Insurance was originally to cover NHS, state pension etc.
Problem is that has never been ring-fenced so is really used for general spending.
One solution would be to raise the basic rate of both Income and Corporation tax and get rid of this confusing pseudo-tax. But no politician would have the nads to do it.
While they're at it, get rid of all 0% and reduced rate VAT, but put the rate down to say 12% and scrap the registration threshold. All of a sudden, you've simplified the tax system and reduced the possibilities for avoidance, by implication raising more revenue.
But am I serious?

 

[anjelikaferrett]

I believe that National Insurance was originally to cover NHS, state pension etc.
Problem is that has never been ring-fenced so is really used for general spending.
One solution would be to raise the basic rate of both Income and Corporation tax and get rid of this confusing pseudo-tax. But no politician would have the nads to do it.
While they're at it, get rid of all 0% and reduced rate VAT, but put the rate down to say 12% and scrap the registration threshold. All of a sudden, you've simplified the tax system and reduced the possibilities for avoidance, by implication raising more revenue.
But am I serious?

Just make companies pay the correct amount of tax instead of the massive tax avoidance that goes on. Billions of £££ back in the economu

 

[Brennan]

National Insurance is the NHS tax.

You'd never get through another tax for the health service.

You're also absolutely slamming the poor there who tend to have larger families through poor education and family planning.

You've also suggested taxing children essentially. Holy moly.

Wouldn't be so sure mate. 49% of people polled in 2014 said they would be in favour of paying a specific tax to support the NHS, with only a third saying they definitely would not. With a barrage of political pressure I think such a proposal would pass easily if it were correctly structured.

 

[Clint Planet]

I think the future of healthcare is incredibly bright. The future of the NHS much less so.

Hmmm.....

 

[hibbo'sclass]

Just make companies pay the correct amount of tax instead of the massive tax avoidance that goes on. Billions of £££ back in the economu

So simplifying the tax system to free up resources to enforce a compliance based system is a non-starter?
Fair enough.
Attacking the large companies for avoidance is easy to do on a forum, but due to the complexity of tax law it is difficult to do in practice and HMRC will always go after the micro business first. Most companies incorporated in the UK (certainly in the last 13 years since I've been here) were done specifically to reduce the tax and NI burden for sole traders and small partnerships. For years it didn't make sense to be a sole trader,
Just saying.