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Felicity Page's avatar

It's pretty obvious that they wish to marketise health care. They may keep the 'brand' or facade of our crumbling NHS. But it's a long held desire of the Conservative Party to dismantle it.

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Den Howlett's avatar

I was told in 1984 that the then level of NIC’s were insufficient to fund future generational needs in either pensions or healthcare and that we would need private provision - at least as far as pensions are concerned. Today, we see NHS services shored up by ‘add on’ services from the private sector but with which data isn’t shared. It’s massively inefficient, predicated on outdated laws that are woolly at best. If we need (as seems true) privately provided services (absent of direct investment) then a quick win would be to demolish the so called Chinese Walls surrounding data. As for creeping privatisation, we’ll, maybe for some services. But how would this work if everything becomes part of the private sector? What happens to NICs? Would there be relief for private contributions? Would it actually make any difference? How would such a move impact the poorest in our society? What about emphasising preventative medicine? These are huge questions for which I’ve yet to hear coherent answers. One thing is for sure; emulating the US system is a recipe for increased inequality and the potential for late life bankruptcy.

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