The NHS is gambling with patients’ health by increasingly banning operations for hernias, cataracts and arthritic joints to save money, one of the UK’s most senior medical figures said .
John Black, the president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, accused NHS primary care trusts (PCTs) of pursuing a “dangerous” course by refusing treatment to patients, who will then suffer unnecessary pain and have less chance of recovering fully.
The NHS in England needs to save £20bn by 2014-15 as part of an efficiency drive. Black said increasing numbers of trusts are postponing or axing provision of dozens of elective surgical procedures, including those for gallstones and tonsil and adenoid problems.
When you don’t control the payment for services, you can’t possibly control the commissioning thereof.This means you are at the mercy of a bureaucrat as to what they feel you should and shouldn’t receive in the way of health care.
Remember, the UK offers “free” gastric banding and “free” sex change operations. Perhaps there’s an argument for the former in that it might save a life, but the latter? Nope. No more than a boob job would.
Here in Canada’s largest city, I’m now on my 15th month of waiting to have my gallbladder out. Will it kill me? Not unless it gets infected or become gangrenous. Does it affect my quality of life? You bet it does. I lose sleep, I cut my throat with my nails, forcing myself to vomit when the pain comes. In different circumstances, I might become addicted to pain medication, as morphine and other opiates are usually given to treat attacks.
It’s easy to say “If you’re not happy, go to the US and pay for it!” which I would happily do, were it not for the exorbitant taxes taken out of my pay to fund second-rate service.
Whatever your country, whatever your financial situation, you should be able to control what happens to your body, and not be at the mercy of a pencil pusher.
I agree. If Canada would allow those who would rather pay to stay home AND receive care here (yes, I mean a private option operating alongside the public one) perhaps those who contribute taxes but don’t use the system (yes, like they are making a donation to the public system because they don’t use it) would be helping the public system on two fronts. 1) reduced wait times; 2) same amount of $ for less users. And please, no arguments about a two-tiered system. It already exists and it’s called ” go to the US” or ” stay at home and wait”. If those $$s were kept at home there would be even more of a taxable base to fund the public option.
Yes mam, you have my vote. Unfortunately, the powers that be will refuse to accept the mirror’s statement that they are not the most beautiful in the land. They will continue to make poisoned apples until Snow White is dead, dead and deader. I don’t know enough about the Mexican health care system and with the amount of drug fighting going on right now, I’m sure that they are being tested; however, from what I’ve heard, they have a two way system that works well. I wish that it was possible for us in the states to have a chance to compare before they copy yours.
The UK has private health care running alongside the NHS, unlike Canada that has a law banning it.
These death panels.
You folks might also have a better chance of keeping more docs on your side of the border.
Yep, I have a degenerated disc in my lower neck that is pressing against the main feeder nerves for the left side of my body. The result is waves of pain shooting down my shoulder and arm. Now my left arm is going numb, which means I might lose its use completely until I can get an operation. My physiotherapist can only help to alleviate the pain slightly while I wait 15 months to see a surgeon. Then its going to be another year after that before I can have an operation.
Isn’t socialized medicine just wonderful?