Patients' Assoc. tells truth about NHS: Sucks!

[el Gusano]

Soon, we'll have the same system killing our people. Way to stop the population explosion: Kill the citizens!

Government Medicine vs. the Elderly

Rarely has the Atlantic seemed as wide as when America's health-care debate provoked a near unanimous response from British politicians boasting of the superiority of their country's National Health Service. Prime Minister Gordon Brown used Twitter to tell the world that the NHS can mean the difference between life and death. His wife added, "we love the NHS." Opposition leader David Cameron tweeted back that his plans to outspend Labour showed the Conservatives were more committed to the NHS than Labour.

This outbreak of NHS jingoism was brought to an abrupt halt by the Patients Association, an independent charity. In a report, the association presented a catalogue of end-of-life cases that demonstrated, in its words, "a consistent pattern of shocking standards of care." It provided details of what it described as "appalling treatment," which could be found across the NHS.

A few days later, a group of senior doctors and health-care experts wrote to a national newspaper expressing their concern about the Liverpool Care Pathway, a palliative program being rolled out across the NHS involving the withdrawal of fluids and nourishment for patients thought to be dying. Noting that in 2007-08, 16.5% of deaths in the U.K. came after "terminal sedation," their letter concluded with the chilling observation that experienced doctors know that sometimes "when all but essential drugs are stopped, 'dying' patients get better" if they are allowed to.

[Scarlet&Gray]

As if we don't suck now without reform. Were 37 in healthcare in the world. But mediocraty is par for the course for Party of no without a plan and no support except the tea baggers with dick armey.

[Tsavodiner]

tea baggers with dick

You'd know....

[Justin Thyme]

Were 37 in healthcare in the world.

Here's something you need to know about any top ten or top 100 or any list ranking anything. The rankings are according to a specific criteria made up by the author of the list. Using a criteria of my own making I could make a list ranking nations by how they do in health care that puts the US at the top. Using another criteria I could put the US at the bottom. You tell me where you want the US to be on the list and I can come up with a criteria that will put us right there. Rankings mean nothing.

[el Gusano]

The QUALITY of our healthcare is the highest in the world.

We have a bunch of freeloaders looking for a handout that "can't" afford healthcare (gotta buy widescreens, cable, and beer, ya know!) so they don't get healthcare.

[Scarlet&Gray]

You'd know....

As well as your muther

[Jay]

UK's top doctors write letter to U.S. politicians to battle 'lies' about the NHS

More than 100 top doctors have signed an open letter to U.S. senators to counter 'lies' about the National Health Service.

The NHS has been the subject of vicious attacks by senior Republicans angry at President Obama's plans to reform healthcare in the country.

The furore has spilled over into the UK, where David Cameron has been embarrassed by Tory MEP Daniel Hannan appearing on American TV to describe the NHS as a '60-year-old mistake'.

Now, top British doctors have been moved to write an open letter to Democratic senator and former presidential candidate John Kerry, who has called for evidence from the medical profession that Republican fears were unfounded.

The doctors, including former president of the Royal College of Physicians Sir George Alberti and Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the UK Faculty of Public Health, and patient groups, used their letter to point out that life expectancy is longer in the UK than the U.S. - showing, they claimed, it is a better system.

While everyone in the UK gets access to healthcare, free at the point of need, in the U.S. it is only available to those who have private insurance.

Some 45million people have no health insurance whatsoever, and 25million are not insured for all health conditions.

In their letter, they say it is important that they 'expose those lies which are about our National Health Service, a service which our experience shows to work successfully for the benefit of all in this country'.

Opponents of President Obama's healthcare reform plans say he wants to bring in 'socialised medicine' as seen in the UK.

They have claimed that Edward Kennedy, who died last month of a brain tumour, would have died much earlier had he had to rely on the NHS - as treatment would have been withdrawn due to his age.

Another opponent claimed renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, would already be dead as the NHS would have decided not to treat him.

But in the letter the doctors say: 'There is no cut-off age for healthcare in the NHS. Senator Kennedy, like anyone else of that age, or older, and with health problems such as his, would have been treated by the NHS with the same high levels of care as someone younger.

'Care for the elderly includes free flu vaccinations, free medication, free operations as needed, nursing care visits, and help and adaptions for the home. Many hospitals now offer "hospital to home" programs for palliative and end of life care to enable very ill people to remain at home.'

And it added: 'Professor Stephen Hawking of Cambridge University, recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama, is disabled and has always been under the care of the NHS.

'Professor Hawking is an outspoken admirer of NHS care. Like thousands of others who are disabled, he is entitled to free medical care and medicine, and he can get adaptions, equipment and home care to allow him to live at home.'

The letter says there is no truth in U.S. claims that NHS has 'death panels', which decide who should be saved and who should die, on the basis of cost.

They also dismissed claims that on the NHS, mothers are told to abort children if they have abnormalities. And they say the NHS's universal coverage was better than the U.S. system where people only get help if they have private insurance.

'In the U.S., people with pre-existing health problems are rarely covered by private insurance companies for those problems,' it said. 'Many do not change jobs for fear of losing cover for such conditions from their new insurers.

'The NHS is literally a life saver for those with pre-existing health problems - they are not denied care. It is vitally important that the NHS, and any government financed health plan anywhere, undertakes the care of such people.'

The letter concludes: 'The NHS is funded by taxes and provides universal coverage while costing 8 per cent of UK GDP. The U.S. system currently costs 16 per cent of GDP but leaves 45million without insurance and a further 25million under-insured.

'The NHS is available free of charge to all regardless of ability to pay, and does not discriminate against those with pre-existing conditions. Importantly it gives freedom from fear of the financial consequences of illness.

'Survey after survey shows that British patients express a high degree of satisfaction with the care they personally receive from the NHS. On average, British users of the NHS live longer and have a lower infant mortality rate than the U.S.'

The letter, which has been sent to U.S. senators and representatives and has also been published on the British Medical Journal website, was written by Dr Jacky Davis, a London radiologist.

'There's so much ignorance and malice around this issue in the US,' she said. 'The debate is skewed by vested interests - the healthcare companies who make millions of dollars of profits every year - with their campaign of misinformation.

'It is upsetting for those of us who have worked in the NHS for years that these lies are being spread.'

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1213783/UKs-doctors-write-letter-U-S-politicians-battle-lies-NHS.html

[gridbug]

The QUALITY of our healthcare is the highest in the world.

Nope. Just the cost is #1. Simply repeating propaganda does not make it true. If you're happy to be #37 then good for you.