Drakeford pulled no punches then

[lisvaneblue]

Not often I agree with you but I do in this case. There is plenty of scope to change the system and I propose that the way to start would be to set up a cross party parliamentary commission to initiate deliberations.

I'm actually not averse to making the NHS a means tested system at its base; charges being implemented on a sliding scale according to income/wealth and having the support of a government backed Health Insurance scheme.

As long as rock solid guarantees of the rejection of future privatisation were obtained I think it a worthwhile starting point for discussion. However you are absolutely right there needs to be a dispassionate analysis on how the administration burden can be better organized.

I'm glad you agree on the need for change. I don't think a cross party political group is the way to go. We need a group of experts who understand healthcare and organisational structures to look at it.
As far as a government backed health insurance scheme is concerned we already have one.....It's called the NHS.
Regarding privatisation, people think of the US model. But in UK we have a lot of privatisation...GP surgeries are private businesses contracted to the NHS, likewise dentists, optometrists, and community pharmacies. Similarly night time GP cover, locum services all supplied by private companies, as are the medicines we take.
Finally, there are already charges being implemented: NHS dental charges, eye test etc charges, prescription charges ( not in Wales where its free, but £9.35 per item in England)

It's all grown like topsy over the years and experience, and expectations, of patients have changed accordingly.

[goats]

Don’t think so…I wonder why cases are higher in Cardiff than Bristol where there are far fewer restrictions?

None of the resident virologists on here can explain this? Less covid cases in Bristol and less restrictions?

[Dorcus]

I'm glad you agree on the need for change. I don't think a cross party political group is the way to go. We need a group of experts who understand healthcare and organisational structures to look at it.
As far as a government backed health insurance scheme is concerned we already have one.....It's called the NHS.
Regarding privatisation, people think of the US model. But in UK we have a lot of privatisation...GP surgeries are private businesses contracted to the NHS, likewise dentists, optometrists, and community pharmacies. Similarly night time GP cover, locum services all supplied by private companies, as are the medicines we take.
Finally, there are already charges being implemented: NHS dental charges, eye test etc charges, prescription charges ( not in Wales where its free, but £9.35 per item in England)

It's all grown like topsy over the years and experience, and expectations, of patients have changed accordingly.

I agree for the need for health professionals to open the debate but I still think a cross-party parliamentary committee is essential to determine the frames of reference to exclude unwanted outcomes.

It is the government who is the guarantor of health provision and not the NHS because it's taxpayers' money which funds it.

I firmly believe big improvements can be made not only by resisting any further privatisation but curtailing any of it which is currently deployed

However, I think there is a case for doing away with private health care but in its place adopting a system of private health insurance payable on a sliding scale according to means. To put it bluntly an enormous burden of cost would be stripped out of the NHS if those who could afford to pay for their treatment actually made a contribution to the cost. Those without means would continue to have free care.

Apart from that the only rigid stipulation I would like to see is that unlike a conventional commercial insurance set up those who are unable to get funded because of prior conditions etc. should have the back up of the NHS to treat them as a right.

[nomad blue]

None of the resident virologists on here can explain this? Less covid cases in Bristol and less restrictions?

Not sure on this, but is there the same amount of testing happening in both? What's the positivity %, and number of people in ICU and being ventilated in Bristol compared to Cardiff? What are the hospitalisation figures there compared to Cardiff?