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July 13, 2009


Theodore Dalrymple at The First Post opines on more smoke and mirrors from the National Health Service.
"The scheme, then, has several possible purposes. The first is to give the government an excuse to cut costs. The second is to insinuate to the public that doctors are not working hard or well enough."
In yet another governmental attempt to pretend that British public services are responsive to the opinions of the people they serve, GPs will have the incomes of their practices reduced if a sufficient number of patients answer a questionnaire, sent to them six months after their contact with the practice, unfavourably.

In a real market, of course, dissatisfied patients would simply up sticks and take their custom elsewhere, without filling in any forms at all. Except where there was no competition, a doctor who dissatisfied his patients would soon find himself without income and would, presumably, try a little harder.

But the NHS is predicated upon an absence of real or effective choice for the great majority of patients, on the grounds that the government knows and organises best.
"Those who complain have little reason to and are often professional malcontents."
In my little town, for example, all the GPs have been removed into one of those vast practices known in the trade as Darzi's khazis (after the junior health minister, Lord Darzi), so that if the income of the practice were reduced because of unfavourable replies by patients to the questionnaire the population of the whole town would suffer. For example, by forcing the redundancy of a nurse. (more...)

13 comments:

Opus #6 said...

I did an online search not long ago regarding doctor salaries in the UK. The numbers are already ridiculously low. Which is why many competent doctors have already fled their country. Now they propose to beat the ones left into submission? Brilliant. Not.

Anonymous said...

It's all like watching the Coming Attractions, Ope.

Italiano's Thoughts said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Italiano's Thoughts said...

Hey Goombah, cop a look at my blog written today.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Paisan. I went over and put in my 2 cents, but neither of us expect this idiot to feel anything but honorable martyrdom.

innominatus said...

This weekend I got a letter from the gubmint saying that I would soon be visited by a pollster who'd be asking a lot of health questions. The letter went on to say that "of course all information obtained will be kept confidential, and that while voluntary, participation was very important."

I didn't get very far reading it before crumpling it up so I could concentrate on coming up with interesting ways of telling the pollster to gtfo. Since I didn't read much of it, I can't say for sure that it was similar to what Dalrymple is talking about. But still kinda spooky.

Amusing Bunni said...

This is a preview of what is going to happen when sr. obination gets his grubby mits (without gloves) on our healthcare.

I think BHO's already had a lobotomy, so he won't need that visit.

Anonymous said...

Nameless One, My reaction would mirror yours. "I voluntarily request you to mind your own business."

Anonymous said...

Bunni...

BHO's a intelligent, conniving and naive politician. Don't underestimate him.

WomanHonorThyself said...

o gosh I gotta put away my crytal ball..too scarey!

Anonymous said...

Woman, you are powerful beyond words.

Lexcen said...

A doctor from England once told me that if I was in the UK, I wouldn't have a choice as to which doctor I could see. Now that is a strange concept isn't it?

Anonymous said...

Not in Socialist Europe. There, Lexus, you're not intelligent enough to make that kind of decision.

It's coming!