Prescription Charges

[invergowrie arab]

17 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Presumably healthcare workers work under a contract of employment with the NHS. Think its a bit simple to say they swan off 2 days a week, or is this a whoosh?

GPs are self employed.

Many allied health professionals are contractors.

[PB 4.2]

24 minutes ago, UsedToGoToCentralPark said:

Missing the point entirely.

I think you will also find higher earners already pay more tax.

Absolutely telling that instead of targetting the pay inequality you target taxation rates.    Next, you'll be misinforming the forum that high earners work harder.    

[John Lambies Doos]

It’s all those criminals from Eastern Europe that are dragging the NHS down.

Once Brexit really gets going then it’ll be great.

OK Nige

[BFTD]

Well, it's good to see that decades of running down the NHS hasn't resulted in some folk deciding it's inherently unaffordable, as planned.

This conversation really requires some input from @oaksoft IMO. It's his money you're all wasting, after all.

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

Absolutely telling that instead of targetting the pay inequality you target taxation rates.    Next, you'll be misinforming the forum that high earners work harder.    

Actually what I suggested was a small tax break to encourage private health insurance take up which would reduce the number of people using the NHS. Thus reducing the cost of the NHS and reducing waiting list times.

[invergowrie arab]

Just now, UsedToGoToCentralPark said:

13 minutes ago, PB 4.2 said:

Absolutely telling that instead of targetting the pay inequality you target taxation rates.    Next, you'll be misinforming the forum that high earners work harder.    

Actually what I suggested was a small tax break to encourage private health insurance take up which would reduce the number of people using the NHS. Thus reducing the cost of the NHS and reducing waiting list times.

The consultants and surgeons operating on you in private health care are the same as those doing NHS work so going private doesn't relieve pressure on the NHS it just means you jump the queue.

[PB 4.2]

1 minute ago, UsedToGoToCentralPark said:

14 minutes ago, PB 4.2 said:

Absolutely telling that instead of targetting the pay inequality you target taxation rates.    Next, you'll be misinforming the forum that high earners work harder.    

Actually what I suggested was a small tax break to encourage private health insurance take up which would reduce the number of people using the NHS. Thus reducing the cost of the NHS and reducing waiting list times.

You advocate tax breaks on the rich, and talk up the hard-pressed rich who earn more after taxation.    Cry me a fucking river.   

[invergowrie arab]

4 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

They are still working under the terms of a contract presumably. I doubt they can simply pick and choose their hours week to week. 

I couldn't swear to the specifics but believe the GP contracts are fairly flexible 

I stand to be corrected but believe they charge per person seen rather than contracted to deliver X hours.

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

You advocate tax breaks on the rich, and talk up the hard-pressed rich who earn more after taxation.    Cry me a fucking river.   

It's a tax break for anyone who wants it.

[PB 4.2]

1 minute ago, UsedToGoToCentralPark said:

23 minutes ago, PB 4.2 said:

You advocate tax breaks on the rich, and talk up the hard-pressed rich who earn more after taxation.    Cry me a fucking river.   

It's a tax break for anyone who wants it.

No.  It's a tax break for the limited few that work normal hours and are rewarded with disproportionally high wages.   

Name me a flat rate European country that's thriving? 

[ayrmad]

5 hours ago, Lisa Cuddy said:

Then that's what he should have provided evidence of. 

 

That said, for a large number of people, particularly those who are unwell, elderly, malnourished and so on, it's more important to get calories into them, and the high fat and sugar content foods are the most effective ways to do that for those with a poor appetite. We fortify a lot of foods with cream, milk, butter, sugar, milk powder and yogurt in work for that reason. It's about context, which was neither provided by that poster, nor considered when he decided to have a swipe at the NHS. 

I never read his link but there are links out there.

I agree about people at certain stages just needing calories and you'll see more than your fair share of them in your particular area, there came a time(last 6 weeks or so) for Mrs Notsomad when anything was better than nothing.

The cake part just resonated with me as that was the 1st bit of advice given to my wife after she received her diagnosis and it wasn't appreciated one bit by any of the 5 of us present that day.

 

[Cyclizine]

I couldn't swear to the specifics but believe the GP contracts are fairly flexible 
I stand to be corrected but believe they charge per person seen rather than contracted to deliver X hours.

Sorry, that's wrong. Practices get a fixed annual amount per practice calculated based on number of registered patients, local demographics and health needs. 2015/16 total GP funding was £754 million in Scotland, so that's less than £12 per month on average per head of population.

Practices are contracted to provide access 0800-1830 Monday to Friday. Although obviously they may close for training, but still provide emergency cover during that time. How individual GPs (and other staff) are employed to do this is up to the practice.

[Cyclizine]

On the subject of free prescriptions, 90% of items in England were dispensed free of charge to qualifying patients. Whether it is cost effective to set up a system for charging a tenth of people I'm not sure. There's not just the cost of administering the system, but there's the theoretical costs of treating long term conditions in patients who wouldn't qualify for free prescriptions - I'm thinking high blood pressure, asthma, etc which can have expensive outcomes if not optimally managed.