Another area which needs reform is the culture / power within the organsiation wielded by senior consultants. I know of a case where a consultant on a 50% contract was deliberately blocking the appointment of another consultant to help clear the massive backlog of operations piling up because there was insufficient allocation of resource to the area for a number of years. The operation waiting lists were such a disgrace that the trust was having to pay the consultant to do the work as a private consultant on his private rates - all while he continuously blocked the Trust making appointments to cope with the backlog of operations.

I would like to think that situations like this are very rare and this example is an exception to the rule, but any system that tolerates shit like this needs to change.

alistair Do you think NHS workers, teachers and the police get fair salaries for the jobs they do, Alistair?

The spectre of inflation? Fucking LOL

      Along_the_Wire depends which teachers. We have had first hand experience of great and awful ones during this pandemic where my children are concerned. Talk about throwing light on shade. Some have done live team sessions without fail and have been great, others have sent PDFs of whole new topics, effectively said try teaching yourself and I’ll be on email if you have any questions. Should they have been paid the same?

          Along_the_Wire do you realise what millions of people in the private sector are going through through no fault of their own? They are certainly not getting paid full salary let alone demanding a pay rise

              alistair So teachers don’t deserve to be paid a decent salary because you’ve experienced some shit ones? Most teachers are excellent

                alistair A lot of them will be earning more than teachers for sitting on their arses doing nothing.

                I am aware of what’s going on in the commercial world, Alistair, I run a huge commercial team and went through a nasty restructure over the summer. All but one of the people we made redundant have got jobs. If someone doesn’t like being on furlough, they can look for other jobs, can’t they? I thought that sort of view of the world would be right up you right-wing strasse.

                    alistair The people in private employment haven’t been declared ‘essential workers’ and been on the front line treating covid, risking their lives and the lives of their own loved ones under the harshest of conditions (lets not forget the national shortage of PPE fiasco and all the other failures).

                    The NHS staff deserve every penny they want for what they’ve been put through.

                        Wally Nurses do. GPs Teachers and Police? Not right now no

                          I can’t comment on Police pay rises and it brings up memories of IH.

                          What a woman.

                          Wally Concerning spending as a percentage of GDP:

                          https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/chart/nhs-spending-as-a-percentage-of-gdp-1950-2020

                          States that spending as a percentage of GDP has come steadily down since 2010.

                          Ah come on now mate. Yes, it has come steadily down since 2010 but look at the graph and look where that percentage is at vs the prior fifty years.

                          The bottom line is that if healthcare costs grow faster than productivity / GDP, the NHS will consume a larger and larger share of government spending, meaning cuts for things like education. We’d rather try to reign in health spending and increase the investment in our next generation instead, right?

                          Looking after a geriatric diabetic population of benefit claimants is a noble aim but it makes more sense in my mind to aim for a slimmer, smarter next generation rather than just bloating the NHS indefinitely.

                          They should look at means testing and charging for NHS care as well imo. I think in Finland for example there are small fees for GP appointments and hospital stays (@Homegrove?). Does this not seem sensible? Or is free healthcare for all still too much of a sacred cow?

                          • Amps replied to this.

                              I get what you’re saying but I think simplifying the tax system, closing tax loop holes and making corporations (and private individual via inheritance tax) pay their fair share is the way to finance it all. The amount of money corporations and various rich people get let off for one reason or another is obscene.

                              • Amps replied to this.

                                It’s just a reminder that we share this world together, Dave. Trisco is not simply a song, it’s a fundacion.

                                “Another thread ruined” - Big Fella (RIP)

                                I think as a start, it’s prolly best not to vote for the Tories then go from there

                                • Amps replied to this.

                                  C_J I think in Finland for example there are small fees for GP appointments and hospital stays (@Homegrove?). Does this not seem sensible? Or is free healthcare for all still too much of a sacred cow?

                                  Why the fuck should the poorest and most vulnerable pay when there are giant companies and billionaires who could pay a small amount more and make a huge difference to the whole of society.