Johnson and the NHS

by jhine 32 Replies latest social current

• 

  jhine

  We Brits are being bombarded with facts and speculation about the horrific consequences of either Corbin or Johnson getting into power .

  Another thread has discussed the anti-Semitic leanings ( or not ) of Corbin .

  What do people think about the left's claims that Boris would sell off the NHS ,only this morning l saw a post on FB saying that " America is demanding full access to NHS records " It has been pointed out by a political reporter on the BBC that the talks that the papers were leaked about happened before Johnson became PM and these were just things that have been put on the negotiating table by the USA . As yet no commitment has been made to these requests .

  l am definitely leaning towards voting Conservative but l do worry that these fears about the NHS might have some basis . . What do people think about this ?

  Jan
  
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  Xanthippe

  US government and its powerful pharmaceutical industry want the NHS to pay more for their medicines which are much more expensive across the Atlantic. They want to remove the UK’s ability to block American drugs not deemed “value for money” and restrict our powers to allow cheaper alternatives to be prescribed to patients which save the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds a year.

  According to research carried out for the programme, the cost to the UK government could run into the billions, approximately £27 billion, wiping out the potential Brexit bonus for the NHS promised by Boris Johnson.

  From Channel 4 programme 'Dispatches', I'll try and post the link.

  https://www.channel4.com/press/news/trumps-plan-nhs-channel-4-dispatches
  
• 

  The Fall Guy

  The pharmaceutical industry is also lobbying government to make an exception for them and lengthen their patents on drugs.

  Other patent holders, eat your heart out.
  
  
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  jhine

  Thanks Xanthippe for the link . That is about where l had got to . However as l said there seems to be no suggestion that these " demands " as they have been dramatically described have been agreed to . So to some extent the reports on social media appear to scare mongering , suggesting that all this is already a done deal .

  Jan
  
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  stan livedeath

  My money is on a hung parliament.
• 

  LoveUniHateExams

  What do people think about the left's claims that Boris would sell off the NHS - no, not likely.

  Since the NHS came into existence, the Tories have been in power more than Labour, and the NHS is still going. If the Tories wanted to get rid of it, they'd have done so decades ago.

  Plus, Trump has said recently that he doesn't want to get involved in our NHS.

  It all amounts to typical Labour scaremongering - 'get the tories out and save our NHS!', etc.

  (Tony Blair on the eve of the 1997 general election: 'we have 24 hours to save the NHS!') - Er, yeah, nice one Tone.

  Don't get me wrong, the Tories sometimes don't care about the NHS or underfund it, etc. but they don't want to get rid of it.
  
• 

  cofty

  It's all fear mongering.

  Governments want to survive in the long term. Any government that sold out the NHS would be wiped out for a generation.

  The NHS buys lots of stuff. It is a huge marketplace and of course drugs companies want to sell us stuff. But as a massive customer we have the power to negotiate the best deals.

  I actually have no problems with some NHS services being privatised. Last time I had an MRI scan the radiologist explained how much better it is working for a private company than when he used to do the same job for the NHS directly. Two people ran the suite efficiently whereas it used to have five people, three of which did practically nothing.

  It also now offers appointments at evenings and weekends.

  As long as it remains free at the point of delivery I'm happy.

  If people didn't get fat, drunk and high, and behave like hypochondriacs the NHS would be in good shape.
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  stan livedeath

  there are ways the NHS could recover some costs.

  meals whilst in hospital for instance. i was in southampton general in 2016 for an aortic aneurism stent. the meals were fine. and free! why ? there was an obese east european type in the bed opposite who did nothing but moan about the food--it was free--served hot to the bedside--and i bet it was a lot better than the crap he was used to.

  our NHS is the envy of the world--even with its various faults. i have had excellent service all my life.

  NHS dental treatment--i have to pay a fixed fee for any treatment--but free for people on means tested benefits.

  eyesight tests--free for me as a pensioner

  prescription meds---ditto.. can you imagine that--free meds !!
• 

  Phizzy

  The Big Pharma Corporations of America would not be in negotiations to maintain present prices would they ? of course nothing has been agreed BEFORE an Election, the Tory Government even tried to keep the negotiations secret. Why do you think that was ?

  And as for Lying Boris and Lying Trump telling us there is nothing to worry about, when they BOTH have said previously that there sure was, who do you believe ? That pair ? or people with knowledge and great concerns, like those actually in the N.H.S. Those who purchase drugs for the N.H.S

  As to Voting decision, look at what you want to result from this Election, if it is 10 more years maybe of Tory misrule, half arsed remedies for problems they created by Austerity, millions of people, and their children in Poverty, a real hit to our Economy etc etc , then vote Conservative.

  If you want real change, a better Society, and real problem solving, then who will you Vote for ? probably you will say "Well, not Labour because ......", whatever your "becauses" are, do some real research, and see if they are true, and above all, do not waste your Vote where it can make no difference.
• 

  snugglebunny

  Ignore the will of the British people by blocking the result of the referendum and Boris is what you get.