Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
8 January 2009
10:0812332#1
What better measure of which Party would be best for our NHS than the views of doctors, cutting through all party spins and dogma.
A survey of nearly 1,400 GPs, for GP magazine, showed that more than half felt that this Government's record on health was "poor" or "very poor" and that a mere 15% would now vote Labour, compared with 44% at the time of the 1997 general election.
50% of the GPs questioned would now vote Conservative, compared with 24% in 1997.
That says it all really.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
8 January 2009
10:3312335#2
keep it going barryw
When Labour gets in again you will be so disappointed.
Guest 670- Registered: 23 Apr 2008
- Posts: 573
8 January 2009
12:3112340#3
Tut,Tut Barry do a bit better than that, the Medical Profession, has always leaned toward the Tories. May I remind you that the BMA fought a bitter campaign with the then Labour Government vehemently opposing the formation of the NHS.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
8 January 2009
13:5912341#4
Dave - you ignore the comparitive polling evidence I provided.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
8 January 2009
14:1412342#5
I'm happy to accept that evidence Barry! I'd also say that the NHS isn't in the best shape and reform is needed.
I once went out with a girl who was training to be a Doctor and her motivation was the cash and personal greed rather than any kind of philanthropic agenda, so it comes as no suprise. Thankfully this is not true of all people in the medical profession, of which I know some amazing people.
Having said all this, the wonderful concept of health care for all and the NHS (what ever state it is currently in) wouldn't even exist if it weren't for left wing ideology.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
8 January 2009
15:4312349#6
I think the government is possibly unpopular with doctors at the moment and it has more to do with DTs point on personal finance than anything else. A few years back all NHS doctors got too much of an exceptional package of money and hours from HMG. It was well recognised as such after being in operation for a time. Not something that was spotted initially so a clanger was indeed made by the government. Now as I undertstand it though, we, the state, are trying to claw some of that extravagance back, a move that has all the popularity of the black death. So my feeling is the doctors are voting on their personal aspects rather than on the state of the NHS as a whole.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
8 January 2009
17:2112352#7
I would agree with Paul here. The BMA opposed the formation of the NHS because of the prospect of losing a lucrative charging and dentists will probably be next on the list if anyone dares to address the cost of toothache even with NHS dentists.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Unregistered User
8 January 2009
17:5612354#8
Actually , I think the concept of the NHS was Liberal.
Watty
Guest 670- Registered: 23 Apr 2008
- Posts: 573
8 January 2009
18:0912357#9
The concept was indeed Liberal but Bevan brought it in to practise by doing a deal with the Chairman of the BMA.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
8 January 2009
18:5012366#10
i never the liberals thought up the NHS, a positive education it is here.
dentists!!!!
they do not like the maximum charge they can collect on a course of treatment, no problem though, many just make each course into 3 or 4 courses.
Unregistered User
8 January 2009
19:0812367#11
The BMA & BDA are only trade unions of doctors & dentists. Why do you take them as anything else. They are just better at doing it than most. When I was an RCN Chairman of Stewards , I gave a lecture to the BMA industrial relations arm on setting up Professional workplace steward organisations. [I know that will surprise some].
Watty
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
8 January 2009
20:2412372#12
If we are talking concepts, I think Beveridge would agree with me Paul.
If you mean 'Liberal' in the 'Liberalism' sense of the word I would agree, as I would any other semantical gymnastics to avoid that nasty 'S' word. We could even say it was brought about by 'various individuals' if that softens the blow even more!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
8 January 2009
20:2412373#13
red watty, scourge of the establishment has a certain ring to it.
power to the health professionals, i say.
8 January 2009
20:3012375#14
Unfortunately I don't think the RCN counts as Red - now COHSE and NUPE, they were more of that hue!! But all worked together, more or less, to represent people who cared. I was a COHSE steward for a time...........
Unregistered User
8 January 2009
20:4212380#15
Correct Bern , I worked particularly well with COHSE & NALGO, who had excellent realistic fulltime officials. Now NUPE that was a different group. I had two years as an RCN rep. on Nurses & Midwifes Whitley Council. Fascinating watching the big General Secretaries of the time shaping up to negotiations & not being outdone by the other unions in attempts at membership recruitment pitches.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
9 January 2009
09:1512403#16
It just goes to show Barry, that even when you state "the bleedin obvious" , people will still argue that black is white and find excuses.
Roger
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
9 January 2009
09:2012406#17
At the en of the day Labour/Tory/Liberal
does it realy matter where it all came from
question is
do we continue to believe in a National health service even with its problems??
I do, but the creeping private medicine, and effect on the NHS could slowly see the NHS as we know it disappear.
Hope im wrong
9 January 2009
09:2712410#18
The NHS as we know it has already gone. What we need to do now is re-affirm our committment to health care for all citizens free at the point of need (and remembering it has already been paid for and voted for) and work out the best way to deliver it.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
9 January 2009
09:3012413#19
BERN
With you on that one
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
9 January 2009
09:3912419#20
Of course it matters Keith, although I'm not talking about specific political parties as I don't think they currently represent any kind of dialectic. Although for some reason people choose to whoile heartedly adhere to their party ideas
(which I always find amusing and ironic from those on the right)
I choose to believe in the NHS, although I am continually concerned about the strains and it's ability to deliver. The day that the quality of health care relies completely on how much you can afford will be a sad day. This is about political philosophies. We can bitch about the NHS all we like and deny the philosophical ideas behind it. I find it 'bleeding obvious' that the 'social insurance scheme' outlined by Beveridge involves the word 'social' ...etymology anyone?
As for the present situation, I agree totally Bern!