bluethrunthru
Well-Known Member
New thread here to discuss our NHS, its future and how we fund it.
I've not put this into the general politics thread, nor anywhere near the brexit thread because for me, the NHS has been a political football for far too long as parties use it to score points, make promises they cant or wont keep and systematically underfund it whilst blaming each other for ever increasing operational issues.
For me we need a new tax, ring fenced in its entirety that will fund both the NHS and social care in this country. National insurance is the way to go with increases for those able to afford, especially those over 40 which i am btw as well as richer OAP's in the UK.
The younger section of society would pay a minimum amount as well as those on minimum wage.
If we dont do it under the existing NI contributions then a new, separate tax should be introduced.
Finally, we appoint a business team of business experts to run the whole thing with no input whatsoever from the government of the day other than the treasury collecting tax and passing it on in its entirety.
My thoughts on it and will be interested to hear especially from those who work in the NHS as to their thoughts and ideas as well as everyone else.
The NHS is inextricably linked to social care especially with an ageing population. The current focus is on the NHS but the main issue is the adult social care problem. The government has placed that in the gift of local authorities then systematically cut the local government funding which - when local government plead they can't do anything but...... - means that the Central Govt can effectively wipe their hands of it and say local Govt is in charge of local funding. Meanwhile care homes close and so on. So the NHS problem is not unique to the NHS only.
I am a left leaning voter but credit where credit is due when My raised it in her manifesto I though she was being very brave to try and tackle it but could clearly see it was a vote loser for her in the way it was framed. I don't know the answer but clearly social care and the NHS plus an ageing population means something needs to be done across the board rather than throw money at the NHS only.