Should the NHS be privatised?

Health Secretary Sajid Javid is expected to unveil new NHS reforms, aimed at tackling issues within the health service such as the impact of the pandemic.

The number of people on an NHS waiting list rose to 6.1 million in December 2021, caused by backlogs over the Covid crisis.

Former NHS consultant Dr John Lee says the situation is "disastrous".

He blames the "bottomless pit of demand" for the state of the NHS and says
"we're going to need to move to a model that fits the modern world".

Dr John Lee goes on to propose an altered public health model where there is "a system state-provided system for basic care but people buy their own health insurance."

[lindathompson]

I've paid to the NHS all my working life, why should I have to pay private?

[adamadamant]

Got news for you. It already has! Over 80 private companies involved, including at least 2 from the USA.

[mikewhitby]

My brother in law is in hospital at the moment
It’s woeful lost scans sent home without having procedures done
Disgusting

[tomhud]

who never saw this coming from a mile off

[sadwingsraging]

Which do YOU want?
A doctor that gets paid by the government even if they won't see the patient
A doctor that goes hungry if he doesn't see actual patients that pay them.

[mrbubbles]

I've worked in the NHS for 15 years and it needs privatisation. So much money is wasted on a Daily basis. Things are not optimised to its full potential, so much time is wasted at the cost of tax payers. Some people are on crazy wages for the actual job they do. There's one role in my department that one person did for 10 years, they were a band 2. Now this job is being ran by 4 people on band 6 wage. The job hasn't changed. I have so many managers, that ive never met half of them.

Also paying private / agency staff 3 or 4 times the rate as a member of staff doing the same job. One agency my hospital contracts, pays members a flat rate of £400 a day even if their shift is only 4 hours. We as tax payers are all paying this. The NHS needs serious reform. We can't keep treating the NHS like some sacred cow..

Should all areas of the NHS be privitased? No, but you should be charged a flat rate for going to A+E, that would stop drunks and time wasters. Even if its a £5 charge. They also need to do away with non job, office sitters on 45K a year and scrap managers who have never worked in frontline roles for a proper significant time.

[freespeechadvocate]

in its current state I would say yes. My girlfriend collapsed 2 weeks ago on her 46th birthday, I rang 999 and nobody answered for 6 minutes, when they did answer, I was put in a queue for 10 minutes at which point I gave up and got her a lift. Upon arrival at Swindon A&E there where 15 ambulances waiting to go in. The NHS is on its knees.

[RomanHistoryFanAD]

NHS needs to be done about, It is falling into such a poor state no one gets needed treatment.

[teresaward]

It needs to be run like a business.Its a mess waste waste.

[dzod]

We should be able to opt out of the NHS if we so choose.

[darrenoleary]

I don’t mind if it goes private, if they give me my money back
I’ve hardly even used a doctor,

[japfourme]

If it were to be privatised, I’d want a massive tax reduction! And I don’t think that would happen do you?!

[williamrutter]

as long as its free at the point of delivery i dont mind who delivers it, the private sector should be able to tender for all nhs work, because the nhs spends too much time ticking boxes and not enough time treating patients, we get ripped off in the uk, ireland spends half the gdp ratio and gets better results.

[kreigrastalovich]

Needs a staff stripping, they still the third highest employer in the world?