Today's Guardian cites an example of Serco who are running the emergency doctor service in Cornwall. On one night last week there was only one emergency doctor on call for the whole of the county. Cornwall's a pretty big county too.

Quote ="Hull White Star"And so it begins where money matters above all else and patients are tossed aside. www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/ ... NETTXT9038'" TBF that's not really news. Most GP practices wouldn't take on elderly and/or care home patients if they could get away with it. That's why such patients should be allocated to GP practices and can't be turned away. I don't know what goes on in that particular PCT but if one of our GP's did that it wouldn't matter because the patient would just get re-allocated back to them (or we'd reject the de-registration).

Quote ="Hull White Star"And so it begins where money matters above all else and patients are tossed aside. www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/ ... NETTXT9038'" TBF that's not really news. Most GP practices wouldn't take on elderly and/or care home patients if they could get away with it. That's why such patients should be allocated to GP practices and can't be turned away. I don't know what goes on in that particular PCT but if one of our GP's did that it wouldn't matter because the patient would just get re-allocated back to them (or we'd reject the de-registration).

I guess the guy missed the irony of not attending the meeting because he had a hospital appointment.

And therein lies the problem. They shouldn't have the "if I can get away with it" mentality. Everyone should be entitled to see a GP without worrying if they will be thrown out because they cost too much money. I'm glad I had my hip and knee replacements when I did because I don't suppose I would get them now due to being young. The NHS is free at the point of contact - not free but only if you are healthy.

BMA calling for Lansley to resign at their annual conference: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18626484 They've also called for an immediate end to the work capability assesments from ATOS to be scrapped. This looks interesting, can't wait to see how it all pans out.

BMA calling for Lansley to resign at their annual conference: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18626484 They've also called for an immediate end to the work capability assesments from ATOS to be scrapped. This looks interesting, can't wait to see how it all pans out.

A very genuine [url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jul/03/financial-austerity-dismantle-state-gabriel-scally?CMP=twt_guMUST-READ[/url

I sincerely hope that every single one of you who voted tory, will at some point require the safety-net of the state, only to find that it has been pulled away from you, in the name of "efficiencies".

We have already seen private healthcare providers offering cancer sufferers a cash incentive to de-register and go back to the NHS. Well there won't be a fu[ic[/iking NHS left by the time this lot have finished, so you'll be as bolloxed as the rest of us.

I don't know how any tory voter can sleep at night.

Quote ="cod'ead"A very genuine [url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jul/03/financial-austerity-dismantle-state-gabriel-scally?CMP=twt_guMUST-READ[/url I sincerely hope that every single one of you who voted tory, will at some point require the safety-net of the state, only to find that it has been pulled away from you, in the name of "efficiencies". We have already seen private healthcare providers offering cancer sufferers a cash incentive to de-register and go back to the NHS. Well there won't be a fu[ic[/iking NHS left by the time this lot have finished, so you'll be as bolloxed as the rest of us. I don't know how any tory voter can sleep at night.'" but it's so reassuring to know that the Labour tactics were squeaky clean.... www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... nment.html

Quote ="cod'ead"A very genuine [url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jul/03/financial-austerity-dismantle-state-gabriel-scally?CMP=twt_guMUST-READ[/url I sincerely hope that every single one of you who voted tory, will at some point require the safety-net of the state, only to find that it has been pulled away from you, in the name of "efficiencies". We have already seen private healthcare providers offering cancer sufferers a cash incentive to de-register and go back to the NHS. Well there won't be a fu[ic[/iking NHS left by the time this lot have finished, so you'll be as bolloxed as the rest of us. I don't know how any tory voter can sleep at night.'" but it's so reassuring to know that the Labour tactics were squeaky clean.... www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... nment.html

Quote ="sanjunien"but it's so reassuring to know that the Labour tactics were squeaky clean.... www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... nment.html'" Not defending Labour here, but the Sun is a Tory rag so I wouldn't expect anything less.

Quote ="sanjunien"but it's so reassuring to know that the Labour tactics were squeaky clean.... www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... nment.html'" Not defending Labour here, but the Sun is a Tory rag so I wouldn't expect anything less.

Quote ="sanjunien"but it's so reassuring to know that the Labour tactics were squeaky clean.... www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... nment.html'" Now just where did I even hint at such a thing? And quite what Barclays has to do with the NHS is totally beyond me. There is already a thread discussing Barclays, have you tried posting on there?

Quote ="sanjunien"but it's so reassuring to know that the Labour tactics were squeaky clean.... www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... nment.html'" Now just where did I even hint at such a thing? And quite what Barclays has to do with the NHS is totally beyond me. There is already a thread discussing Barclays, have you tried posting on there?

Quote ="Hull White Star"Not defending Labour here, but the Sun is a Tory rag so I wouldn't expect anything less.'" of course it is so it's all lies,damned lies and statistics ! - strange how other rags see the same story .... www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bo ... ss-1131870 or www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 06916.html et al I suppose it depends on who you want to believe ?

Quote ="Hull White Star"Not defending Labour here, but the Sun is a Tory rag so I wouldn't expect anything less.'" of course it is so it's all lies,damned lies and statistics ! - strange how other rags see the same story .... www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bo ... ss-1131870 or www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 06916.html et al I suppose it depends on who you want to believe ?

it's all a question of trust, integrity & honesty etc something quite lacking in the vast majority of politicians - doesn't matter what trash they are preaching...

Not that this discussion belongs on this thread..but...I take it you didn't see PMQ's this lunch? Apart from it now becoming a back slapping excersise for Tories to ask planted questions to the PM, every single answer out of Camerons mouth was along the lines of ......the last Labour governments fault......etc etc.

The whole thing is becoming a bit boring now. Yes Labour might have been in power while things were happening, yes they might have had knowledge of certain things going on but the fact is they are not in power now, Cameron is and I want to know what HE is going to do about it, afterall he is running the country. This could be Camerons moment to shine, to lead the country, to put right some wrongs, to make a name for himself but imo he's dragging us even lower then we've ever been before and he's certainly making a name for himself; begins with W and ends with R.

I wish.....gotta work unfortunately

but retirement in under three years

(if I survive that long ?)

ameron couldn't shine if you stuck the Eddystone Lighthouse up his ar$e ! plus, havng to work within the restraints of the Libs can't help

thank God Mr Hollande won a with a decent majority - at least he has a proper mandate to ruin the country.....

[size=50(spot the Freudian Slip..)[/size

[url=http://postcodegazette.com/news/9002098886/nhs-centre-run-by-private-firm-charges-patients-for-treatment-AT-sheffield-broad-lane/And as it begins, so shall it continue[/url NHS Walk-in Centre charging £25 to see whiplash patients

[url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/private-hospital-told-doctors-to-delay-nhs-work-to-boost-profits-7962582.htmlPrivate hospital instructs doctors to delay NHS work, all in the name of maximising profit[/url

Thank you Lansley, Cameron and all you lily-livered, spineless LimpDems who back the NHS reforms

I had both my hip replacements at Spire Private hospital, but for very different reasons mentioned in the article. Both were done on the NHS. My consultant explained they often offered this to anyone over the 18 week time scale which I was due to my op being delayed due to winter emergencies. In saying that, I talked to the nurses at Spire, they had a portacabin quickly brought in to use as a "ward" for NHS patients and I certainly wasn't offered wine with my evening meals or given a restaurant type menu to chose from more like an A4 sheet of paper every day!

Very simple solution - any NHS Trust who use that hospital should immediately stop using it until the director involved is removed from their post and treatment waiting lists improve.

Indeed any NHS Trust who use private hospitals for sub contract work should be imposing their own terms and conditions on the deal, the waiting time being one of the major clauses.

The whole of the private hospital industry in the UK would be dead in the water if it weren't for the NHS, they had a window of opportunity in the 1990s to make us all sit up and think that actually it might not be a bad idea to take up some health insurance, but they lost that lead after substantial investment in the NHS by the Labour government to the point when, in 2009, a close friend of mine saw a consultant in brain surgery about a tumour that he had, he was told that he would be admitted into the NHS hospital where they were sat and the surgeon would operate the next morning (Tuesday), my friend told him that his employer provided private health cover and would he be better seeing him at the BUPA hospital in Leeds, he was told that it was his choice but that the same surgeon would not see him there until Friday - he stuck with the NHS - a surgeon who works four days a week in one hospital and moonlights for one day a week in another - which one would you go for ?

[url=http://liberalconspiracy.org/2012/08/21/outrage-as-nhs-hospital-charges-for-ae-drugs/NHS hospital charges for A&E drugs[/url

University Hospital of North Staffs has started charging £7.65 for drugs administered in A&E.

[iA joint statement from UNSH and North Staffordshire Primary Care Trust said that: “More than three-quarters of patients don’t pay prescription charges” and if they [the hospital “did not levy charges” they would face reductions in their budgets and therefore have “less money available for other services”. [/i

One little flaw in that argument: the money raised is not kept by the hospital, it is channelled back to central government

Just refuse to pay. That's what I did when Warwick Hospital tried to charge me for my treatment following an RTA a few years ago. Eventually they gave up asking.

... and now, the NHS are to be encouraged to expand overseas. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19328105 It's not privatisation, though, oh no, absolutely not, no way.

... and now, the NHS are to be encouraged to expand overseas. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19328105 It's not privatisation, though, oh no, absolutely not, no way.

They do that because they figure it will be covered by your motor insurance. Then they moan when the get their policy renewals through.

How far away are we before the first check on entering A&E is not your vital signs but your available credit?

Quote ="El Barbudo"... and now, the NHS are to be encouraged to expand overseas. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19328105 It's not privatisation, though, oh no, absolutely not, no way.'" It does seem a bit strange, selling the reputation of the NHS overseas, while claiming that it doesn't work and is unaffordable at home.

Quote ="El Barbudo"... and now, the NHS are to be encouraged to expand overseas. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19328105 It's not privatisation, though, oh no, absolutely not, no way.'" It does seem a bit strange, selling the reputation of the NHS overseas, while claiming that it doesn't work and is unaffordable at home.

[url=http://eoin-clarke.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/its-official-first-privatised-nhs.htmlWell, what a roaring success the privatisation of Hitchinbrooke has turned out to be[/url

Never mind, as long as Circle Health keep pouring money into the tories' coffers eh?

Smells like a big pile of dog poo, particularly as the holding company is based offshore.

Give public money to private company - reduce employment in the area - make profit from public service - don't pay tax on that profit - hand some of profit back to the political party that gave you the £1.2 billion contract.

The perfect scam.

I wish I'd thought of it.

[url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/13/private-firms-corporation-tax-nhs-profitsMore news.[/url

Tax breaks for private NHS providers.