EM Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Private healthcare is a pain to try to explain to people in any positive light because they look at the very regulated private health care system which they have in America, and think its the worst thing since sliced bread. PEople think that Private = ludacrisly expensive.When I was younger I looked on the British private health industry with revulsion and basically equated BUPA with Satan. It seemed to encapsulate the very worst side of the Thatcherite destruction of laudable social institutions. On moving to Germany I encountered their system, which though private, is compulsory and with many safeguards and social obligations. My experience of this was from start to finish 100% perfect. I do not say that lightly, I mean perfect, not nearly perfect. I don't think that system is going to last much longer, however, as there are apparently big holes in the overall cost model. I don't understand the sums but I believe that it is due for a radical shake-up due to the huge costs necessary for delivering such high performance. My point is that, private systems can indeed be caring and socially responsible, but only when they are strongly regulated by government. I still think the UK BUPA type approach is heinous, because it is not available to all on account of premium pricing. I don't mention the US system, because in my mind it is not worthy of even being called a system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Article recently published in the Guardian regarding Release's legal action against the use of sniffer dogs - The sniffer dog trials Hmm, a very interesting read, Peeriebryan. Thankyou for posting the link. Interesting post and I hope they succeed. Why? Well, two days after I had got Kia, a rescued Shar Pei, and was on my way to a dog training session, my husband and I were travelling through Manor Park train station, East London, on our way to Ilford. Ooh, BTP there with drug dog, a rather excitable labrador. A female PC approached us and wanted to walk our dog past the police dog and for us to follow. Err why, I asked? I suggested hubby goes first, then comes back for dog, then me or vice versa. Explained to her that labradors do not like shar pei and regard shar pei's wrinkles as a sign of aggression. Furthermore, Kia was stressed out anyway with noise of trains and had just come up from a very quiet location in the countryside. So, you're a qualified dog handler are you, I asked? Nope, PC wasn't. Right, you are both refusing to be searched. Err no, we never said that. All you people in the East End are the same, she said, criminals. Lovely, I said, seen as I worked for BTP in a CJU for quite a while. Commonsense finally prevailed and hubby walked by with our dog first. Sure enough, said police dog lunged at our dog, growling and snarling, with its front paws well off the ground. Mmm, I'm expected to have said mutt under control in public place; obviously that law doesn't apply to police dogs then. So then I walked by. Please stop Madam, our dog has indicated that you have drugs on your person or words to that effect. Brilliant. Half my neighbours walking by as they were getting off the train seeing me being searched in public. Did I have drugs on me? Absolutely not. I did, however, have some freshly cooked boiled chicken in my pocket as a "high reward treat" for the dog training session. Was I really expecting too much for a so called highly trained police dog to know the difference between drugs and chicken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Inky Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 In the case of myself, I bought my skateboard and I rode it dangerously fast and broke whatever bone because of it - which part can I blame you for Inky and get your money for?What if you suffered some sort of permanent and life-changing injury ( eg paralysis ), and you were simply unable to pay for the 24-hour care you required ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coastie Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Half my neighbours walking by as they were getting off the train seeing me being searched in public. Did I have drugs on me? Absolutely not. I can see exactly where you're coming from and having undergone a similar action Sympathise with you. Strangely enough, a friend of mine has recently joined the BTP!! (Sad man!! LOL!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 In the case of myself, I bought my skateboard and I rode it dangerously fast and broke whatever bone because of it - which part can I blame you for Inky and get your money for?That's part of the problem right there. Suddenly people start suing the council for wonky pavements, and their neighbour for making a distracting noise right in the middle of a trick, and so on. Everything becomes someone else's fault. Anyway... what I meant to say was: this is not a thread about healthcare (>_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOYAANISQATSI Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 In the case of myself, I bought my skateboard and I rode it dangerously fast and broke whatever bone because of it - which part can I blame you for Inky and get your money for? I must have payed enough tax on the fags by now to cover you for a couple of broken backs, maybe even a neck break and there might be enough left over for you to be able to smash up your knee caps as well, so carry on by all means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAStewart Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 In the case of myself, I bought my skateboard and I rode it dangerously fast and broke whatever bone because of it - which part can I blame you for Inky and get your money for?What if you suffered some sort of permanent and life-changing injury ( eg paralysis ), and you were simply unable to pay for the 24-hour care you required ? I depends on the system. One could obtain private insurance which covered this. In the case of myself, I bought my skateboard and I rode it dangerously fast and broke whatever bone because of it - which part can I blame you for Inky and get your money for? I must have payed enough tax on the fags by now to cover you for a couple of broken backs, maybe even a neck break and there might be enough left over for you to be able to smash up your knee caps as well, so carry on by all means. The argument that smokers and drinker 'pay enough' tax seems false as the NHS constantly complains about how drinking and smoking are choking the NHS financially. Sorry Fjool - back to drugs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 The argument that smokers and drinker 'pay enough' tax seems false as the NHS constantly complains about how drinking and smoking are choking the NHS financially. They may complain, but what's it worth. Have they ever provided rock solid figures to back it up? There's somewhere in the vicinity of £4.00 tax on a pack of 20. Assume only approx 15% of the population are smokers, assume the average smoker is 10/day. That's £10 Billion in tax they're paying per annum. Then, there are the drinkers to add.... How much duty is on your bottle of voddie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Your NI contributions pay towards the NHS. Tax on tobacco and dring, as does vehicle excise goes into the pool of tax money. The same money that helps towards a safer community... Folk need too to be honnest about their habbits...the longer you try to keep them secret, the move aparent they become Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twerto Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 can the last few post of this be spilt and merged with the other NHS thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claudias Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Your NI contributions pay towards the NHS. That is not true. That is what was intended when the scheme was set up but,for many years the contributions have gone into the common pot. Helping to pay for Trident? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coastie Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Your NI contributions pay towards the NHS. That is not true. That is what was intended when the scheme was set up but,for many years the contributions have gone into the common pot. Helping to pay for Trident? If what you say is true, then that is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coastie Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 ......................................But an x-ray can see a p nut up an elephants nose With all respect, are you suggesting that everyone who comes off the ferry should be x-ray screened? Or just the elephants ? I must be dreaming here, but I was CERTAIN that you replied to me and I responded and now they have gone!! You mentioned peanuts and so did I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Your NI contributions pay towards the NHS. That is not true. That is what was intended when the scheme was set up but,for many years the contributions have gone into the common pot. Helping to pay for Trident? If what you say is true, then that is wrong. NI contributions pay for NHS care and pension. If they went into a "different pot", then there would have to be a change to statute/legislation and I do not recall that happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trout Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 @coastie Hmm...time to upgrade this forum software methinks! I remember those elephant/peanuts posts too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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