Whats the point of the NHS?

[Will Gill]

I'm very similar, been in intensive care twice and I would definitely have been worm meat if it wasn't for the NHS

Despite making some mistakes regarding misdiagnosis for my father's cancer etc.. They can still do no wrong in my eyes and I am always happy to support them whenever and wherever I can.

 

[apatia77]

First of all NHS is not free (well perhaps for the poor). I can see £100s p/m taken from my salary towards NI.

 

[DB_SamX]

I am always happy to support them whenever and wherever I can.

Same, despite equally making mistakes at times which have hindered my health to the point where I wonder if I would have been a lot better now.

 

[bitslice]

after a 30min wait

That has to be the shortest wait ever for the NHS to do anything, was this your first time at a clinic?

I'd love to have access to medication, unfortunately prescription charges of £8 a month is outside of my budget. I can however change a dressing all by myself.

 

[Mr Jack]

First of all NHS is not free (well perhaps for the poor). I can see £100s p/m taken from my salary towards NI.

Free at the point of use is the phrase.

Where do people get this idea that NI pays for the NHS from? It's wrong and has been wrong for decades. NI gets slopped into the pot with all the other taxation and then dolled out as needed. The NHS is funded from general taxation, you're paying for it every time you pay VAT, income tax, car tax, etc. I note, however, that the UK spends - even pre-Obamacare - less public money per head than the US with it's private system and lack of universal healthcare.

 

[marl]

Its not by any means perfect, but... 2 weeks ago a friend of mine slipped, fell and broke his ankle quite badly. Dialled 999, was immediately put through to a Dr who told us what to do. 15-20 mins later he's in an Ambulance and on his way to hospital. I picked up some bits and pieces for him and by when I got to A and E about 30 mins later he's in a bed and being treated for the break!

Shortly after that he's on his way to an intensive care bed as their routine blood tests have revealed some other problems that are much more serious. It's possible that breaking his ankle! Thankfully he's now making a good recovery.!

We can criticise the NHS but it could be a lot worse!

 

[bitslice]

Where do people get this idea that NI pays for the NHS from? It's wrong and has been wrong for decades. NI gets slopped into the pot with all the other taxation and then dolled out as needed. The NHS is funded from general taxation

I did not know this, interesting

 

[Raikiri]

Roughly 25% of the income from NI/Income tax is spent on the NHS. For someone earning £15k that's about £500 a year going to the NHS, or £1300 for someone earning the average of £26,500.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Where do people get this idea that NI pays for the NHS from?

Well for 4 decades I was led to believe it paid for my State pension.

 

[Castiel]

Well for 4 decades I was led to believe it paid for my State pension.

It does. NI is paid to build up some State Benefits, including your State Pension and incidently, contribute to your entitlement to NHS care, despite what Mr Jack has said

The National Insurance Funds are used to pay for certain types of welfare expenditure and National Insurance payments cannot be used directly to fund general government spending. However, any surplus in the funds is invested in government securities, and so is effectively lent to the government at low rates of interest. National Insurance contributions are paid into the various National Insurance Funds after deduction of monies specifically allocated to the National Health Services (NHS). However a small percentage is transferred from the funds to the NHS from certain of the smaller sub-classes. Thus the four NHS organisations are partially funded from NI contributions but not from the NI Fund.

 

[Dis86]

Roughly 25% of the income from NI/Income tax is spent on the NHS. For someone earning £15k that's about £500 a year going to the NHS, or £1300 for someone earning the average of £26,500.

£1300 is significantly less than the cost of even a minor operation. For example, the average cost in the US for the removal of an appendix is $33,000. That's over £20,000.

Those that complain about how much they pay in tax towards it really need to consider just how expensive medical treatment is. Treatment that is there waiting for them should they ever require it.

 

[Raikiri]

I know, I'm in full support of the NHS.

 

[Uther]

I was diagnosed with a serious, long term illness last week, if not for the NHS the bill would already have been thousands, and the medication I will have to start (IV, in hospital, at least once a month) would be unaffordable for me as well if not for the NHS.

 

[Phantom Shadow]

Had to spend 9 days in hospital as a result of my perforated appendix recently, would hate to think of the true cost of that.

 

[DampDog]

£1300 is significantly less than the cost of even a minor operation. For example, the average cost in the US for the removal of an appendix is $33,000. That's over £20,000.

Those that complain about how much they pay in tax towards it really need to consider just how expensive medical treatment is. Treatment that is there waiting for them should they ever require it.

A few years back I needed a colonoscopy, at the time I was under BUPA with the company I worked for. The bill was just short of £2300. Private health care is expensive. Hence the push to privatise the NHS and squeeze the golden goose.

At the time I had my bypass I was told it would have been in the region of £12,000 for an uncomplicated procedure. (if it were done privately)

 

[D.P.]

£1300 is significantly less than the cost of even a minor operation. For example, the average cost in the US for the removal of an appendix is $33,000. That's over £20,000.

Those that complain about how much they pay in tax towards it really need to consider just how expensive medical treatment is. Treatment that is there waiting for them should they ever require it.

This is an empty statement though, of course 1 years NHS taxation on an average worker is less than the cost of a standard OP!

The zero dollars I pay each year are infinitely less than the cost of surgery here in the US.


I don't think anyone in this thread has ever complained at the amount of tax required tofu the NHS. Everyone knows that medical services are expensive.
The only points people are making is the NHS is not free in the slightest despite what some people claim.

You and your employer pay similar taxes to what an American employer would pay for an employee. For higher earners it is significantly less expensive in the US as I indicated earlier.

The major differences in the US the employer pays the majority of the health costs, in the UK the emploee is still hit with a large part of the cost through NI and general taxation. In the US you have more options in health providers, In The UK it is a monopoly. In the US you also have more options in how you finance your health coverage, e.g. You can opt for a higher excess to reduce subscription costs. In the UK you have no control over how much taxes are taken and spent on the NHS.

And lastly, this is a big one, unfortunately not everyone is coverages in the US, debut the ya re in the UK. This is a disgraceful system but is slowly being eradicated in the US. Furthermore, the problem is not as endemic as most British people actually believe. A vast majority of people are covered, including the elderly, poverty stricken and disabled.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Yes i had a Tummy Tuck after losing 8 1/2 stone, i did it because i had loads of excess skin which left me with no self esteem. I didn't have any help losing the weight unlike a lot of people who have tummy tuck and they get them done on the NHS.

Yeah in your view it wasn't worth writing a post, but the fact the i had to wait 30min then get given the 3rd prescription in as many days. I agree that we only pay a small amount for drugs but it annoyed me that i have to provide my own dressing, it's like asking people who work in offices to bring their own paper for the printer.

As i said i wasn't looking for an argument, but people are quick to jump on people aren't they?

I find it unbelievable that you would not be offered some form of support post-op.

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

Free treatment for my Crohns Disease to the tune of thousands a month. Allows me to be healthy enough to get on with life virtually normally.

What is the treatment for your Crohns Disease?

 

[mattyg]

I think the NHS are bloody wonderful, i developed a chronic illness this year, Ulcerative Colitis, saw my GP about a dozen times, had loads of bloodtests, put under the care of one of the top Gastroenterologists in the country, at a purpose built state of the art treatment centre, had biopsies, colonoscopy, half a dozen meetings with my consultant, & the cost to me?, £7.50 every 2 months for my prescription.

I was diagnosed in Jan this year after suffering for nearly three year getting worse and worse. (not nhs fault)
Currently managing it pretty well with Asacol. But a bit of a mare after being on pred for nearly 6 months

 

[mattyg]

Double post