Posts
At last - the BBC is finally starting to raise the fundamental issues raised by current NHS reforms ... e.g. rewarding GP's for rationing healthcare (a clear conflict of interest - i.e. profiteering from patients and from not referring patients properly), as well all the other fundamental issues raised by every medical professional body (e.g. British Medical Association, Royal College of Surgeons, Royal College of Nursing etc etc).
And its worth remembering that the BMA only 'backed' 'GP commissioning' due to private lobbying/voting from 'greedy' GP's. Everyone else is against these reforms, including the vast majority of honest, trustworthy and honorable GP's (take a look at this post and this one for instance).
To push through these reforms the Government are trying to bribe the 'greedy' GP's to take part, by offering them lucrative personal rewards (e.g. fees, bonuses and shares in commissioning groups, as well as lucrative deals in which they can profiteer from rationising healthcare and referring work to themselves). They have also been quietly trying to force those GP's against the reforms into commissioning (which they are still trying to resist), but the Government are now saying they'll let another 'GP consortium' profiteer from doing it instead!
The Government will still try to press ahead with these controversial reforms, which will be to the detriment of everyone's health and well-being, and which will eventually destroy the NHS.
These reforms were not asked for, or voted for, by anyone (and were in no party manifesto) ... the introduction of the NHS was a key moment in UK history, and its effective destruction will be equally as dramatic ... we must not lest this happen ... and IMHO the BBC have a duty of care to continue to raise these issues too ... to ensure the public voice is heard!
In the meantime everyone can sign the petition to the Government ... as well as the petition being sent directly to their MP.
IMHO the Government are not 'delaying' to take time to 'listen' ... but to make sure they don't suffer a complete massacre in the forthcoming elections in May! Believing these people will listen is like believing Gaddafi will ensure a ceasefire ... and voters need to make sure their voice is heard in these elections ... as only by ensuring the coalition are crushed in these elections will they actually listen to anyone ... and stop the destruction of the NHS, as well as the removal of patient trust in their doctor to act in their best interests!
Bloggers are attacking the reforms from every direction, let's see if the Government listen ... I thought this post from a new blogger, Dr John Taylor, summed things up well by asking one simple question:
"The question is: Do I want my GP to look at me as a patient, with a focus on curing my ailments, or as a business person focused on reducing costs and maximising income? For me it's simple, I prefer my GP to remain a GP".
to which I added ...
"a fantastic post and I fully agree - this one simple question sums up the problem with these reforms perfectly ... and it highlights how/why the government have been trying to bribe GP's to back the reforms ... as he can't do it without them and he needs their help to ration NHS care at source (i.e. before being referred any treatment) - hence they were prepared to offer GP's part of the profits/savings (e.g. as fees, bonuses, shares in commissioning companies, referral work to themselves instead of hospitals)"!
Let's see how people vote in the elections too, and let's see if they start to listen then!
