A
leading "non-governmental" think-tank has advised the NHS that
patients should be charged to use its services. It's suggesting a £10 levy on
GP appointments as well as "hotel fees" for inpatient stays in NHS
hospitals, see: http://www.express.co.uk/news/health/443851/Paying-10-to-see-your-GP-will-help-raise-billions-for-the-NHS.
This may sound shocking, and on one level it is; but should it be? Since the
early days of Margaret Thatcher's government in the 80's the line has been repeated
again and again and again: "No matter what reforms the government brings
in, the NHS will still always be free. There will never ever be charges to the patient... we promise!" And every time that cliche was uttered so many of us
knew that it was a lie. It was told for two reasons: the short memory most people
have for important matters between sport and soap operas; and this strange
notion that it doesn't matter what the government does, so long as they say nice things to us. The organization
behind this report is called Reform and it describes itself as "dedicated
to setting out a better way to deliver public services and economic
prosperity". It describes itself as "non-party", yet its
director Andrew Haldenby is also linked to the Centre for Policy Studies dedicated
to neoliberal economics and also the Conservative Research Department which is
a part of the ruling Conservative Party. As I said in a previous HPWA article,
this is not news, it is "un-news", see: http://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/the-nhs-to-be-privatized.html.
I would be very surprised if this advice to the Government is not taken, what's
more they'll find some bait in the trap too! Some piece of propaganda to justify
it, like this: http://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/health-tourism-crackdown.html.
Even the above Daily Express article
is gushing over how many "billions" this move will save the
taxpayer.
