British Leaders: "Dismantle Nat'l Health Svc., "Fails Expectations," "No Longer Relevant"

The Observer can reveal that leading Tory MPs – who include (Conservative Leader, David) Cameron's close ally Michael Gove – are listed alongside controversial MEP Daniel Hannan as co-authors of a book, Direct Democracy, which says the NHS "fails to meet public expectations" and is "no longer relevant in the 21st century".

After creating an uproar back home by imploring that Americans avoid a British "single-payer" with private option system, leaders of Parliament are now coming forward with criticism and alternatives.

Key Tory MPs backed call to dismantle NHS

www.guardian.co.uk...

The outspoken critics have not just acted as 'naysayers, they have put forward alternatives that come closer to the free market and emphasize patient-consumer control over health care transactions.

Gove is also one of a group of more than 20 Tory MPs and MEPs who are cited as supporters of Hannan's views in another book, The Plan: Twelve Months to Renew Britain, published in December last year, in which Hannan and Tory MP Douglas Carswell describe the NHS as "the national sickness service".

The books are said to reflect plans afoot for 'heath savings acoount' similar to those being considered as part of legitimate reform of the US insurance-based system.

Both books call for the NHS to be replaced by a new system of health provision in which people would pay money into personal health accounts, which they could then use to shop around for care from public and private providers. Those who could not afford to save enough would be funded by the state.

This type of plan has been discussed in back rooms and behind the scenes, but its advocates have never felt empowered enough to actively push for widespread consideration.

Until now.

jw





[edit on 15-8-2009 by jdub297]

Okay I guess, if that is what the people really want.
The government should run other things rather than health care. Let health care be the responsibility of the people themselves.

I heard they do talk to each other you know, some of the tories and the republicans.
Senior Tories' links with Republican NHS-bashers revealed

Got any more articles that you plan on quoting selectively?

You forgot from the same article:

"Hannan was rapidly slapped down and branded an "eccentric" by Cameron, who has pledged to preserve the health service, and to increase spending on it, without subjecting it to radical structural reform.

Last night Tories listed as co-authors and supporters of Hannan's writings moved to distance themselves from his views. Gove said: "Dan and Douglas produce many interesting ideas. There are many … that emphatically I do not share. I certainly do not share Dan's view of the NHS.""

But I guess that the leader of the conservative party (same one that Hannan belongs to) coming out at saying that not only he supports the NHS, he intends to preserve, increase spending and not subject it to radical reform doesn't count for you.

By the way, this Cameron guy, if you don't know, is trying to get elected as prime minister (kinda like your president), and if the NHS was so incompetent and so disliked as you are trying to paint it, i's sure that he wouldn't be defending it.

But then again, Mr. Cameron (the opposition guy, probably next prime minister), has very good reasons to defend the NHS. His son was born epileptic and suffering from cerebral palsy, and was treated from birth in the NHS. See, the opposition party leader, from the party equivalent to your republicans, trusted the NHS to treat his sick child.
Want to see what Mr. Cameron really thinks of the NHS?
(www.guardian.co.uk...)
note that the article is from february this year, before all this polemic.

By the way, I couldn't care less if you guys get communist, capitalist, facist of martian health care, but it's getting kind of old to try and attack institutions from other countries, especially if you have to lie or be extremely selective with your quotes to do it.
Face it, the vast majority of the population in the UK are extremely defensive about the NHS for a reason. We know it's got problems, we know that it could be better, but no in his right mind would treat our system for the one you have in the US.

edit: spelling

[edit on 17-8-2009 by madeioo]

I also have to wonder if big medical from the US has been pumping money into the right pockets. Forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, but it would seem to me that if they switched from gov. run healthcare, that it would open potential avenues of private healthcare revenue? Is there a private option over there?

Chrono

reply to post by Chronogoblin


There is private healthcare in britain just like in the US. You are free to pay for it if you want private coverage. But i think that it speaks volumes for the quality of the NHS that David Cameron's son was treated by the NHS, as his father surely had the means to go private if he wished it.

Originally posted by madeioo
Got any more articles that you plan on quoting selectively?

I didn't write the article, your press did.

A quote is a quote; your leaders speak this way, I didn't say it.

In the US "healthcare reform" debate, the UK and Canadian systems are frequently cited as examples of viable alternatives.

That makes your story relevant.

Enjoy the NHS while you can. I hope you grow old under it.

jw