The Boris Johnson thread.

Started by vandermolen, June 15, 2019, 04:21:09 AM

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Irons

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on July 13, 2020, 02:58:58 PM
What do you gents (and any women who are here) in the UK think would be the best way to deal with issues re your NHS?  I'm struggling to keep up with all of the news these days.  Last I heard, waiting times for appointments could be quite long?  Is there much/any private practice which is not part of the NHS?  And how many people can afford it?

PD

I'm not sure there are issues concerning the NHS, P. They have done a sterling job during the Covid crises. No organisation is perfect but whenever myself or my family has required their services the treatment we have received has been first class in every way. There is of course a backlog of non-Covid related issues for patients to be addressed but that is to be expected although regrettable. Private medical care has a role to play in the UK. The care is no better then the NHS, I have experience of both, but treatment is at a time of the patient's choosing. Most, if not all, private care is insurance related.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Mandryka

#401
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on July 13, 2020, 02:58:58 PM
What do you gents (and any women who are here) in the UK think would be the best way to deal with issues re your NHS?  I'm struggling to keep up with all of the news these days.  Last I heard, waiting times for appointments could be quite long?  Is there much/any private practice which is not part of the NHS?  And how many people can afford it?

PD

Yes it's not clear to me what Boris thinks he will achieve by a radical shake up of the NHS, other than maybe make it easier to sell off large parts of it into the private sector - American medical companies are probably drooling with the anticipation of getting their dirty little mits on on the UK's health $ector.

The two big problems in the NHS I've personally experienced are to do with the interaction between health and social care, and with dentistry.  The UKs system for looking after people at home is appalling, and it can mean that patients can't be discharged from hospital, even though they're well, because there's no one to make sure they're safe at home.

What I've not experienced, but I know is a major problem, is long waiting times for elective surgery - orthopaedic surgery and physiotherapy for example.

Dentistry has become very expensive here, and I'm sure than many people suffer because they can't find a way of paying for their treatment. I sometime think that when I was younger I would spend all my money on my house; now I spend it all on my teeth.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Pohjolas Daughter

I was thinking more of pre-Covid times.  I thought I remembered comments from others (probably elsewhere) of long wait times to see specialists?

And, yes, dental is expensive here too unless you happen to work for a big enough company that will also offer a decent dental plan.  A basic cleaning can be over a hundred dollars.  X-rays $80 or so.

And, certainly not intending to slam your health care workers...particularly after all they've been through and still doing to help people!  Just more curious about the system and what they are hoping on changing/fixing and why.

The one experience I had with your NHS was back in I want to say early '90's?  On a trip there with family and caught a sinus infection on the way over (before really).  Can't remember whether it was the same day or the next day, I went to a hospital to see a doctor and get some medicine.  They did an x-ray (at no charge) and I only had to pay a small amount for the three medicines even though I was a foreigner.  And treated very nicely too!   :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

vandermolen

I don't have any problem with the NHS as a whole. We are very lucky to have it here. Also, if you have something which could be serious they tend to refer you to a specialist very quickly (within two weeks). However, for non-emergency treatment the wait can be very long. Some time ago I had some investigations and the NHS sent me to a local private hospital for them. As I was a NHS patient I didn't have to pay anything for them. In the UK private medicine is quite small in comparison with the NHS. In education it is the other way round and more people send their children to private/independent school in comparison for those who pay for private medical treatment. That's my understanding anyway.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Pohjolas Daughter

Thanks for your personal insight Jeffrey.   :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

knight66

Quote from: Mandryka on July 10, 2020, 09:39:36 AM
Boris Johnson plans radical shake-up of NHS in bid to regain more direct control
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/10/boris-johnson-plans-radical-shake-up-of-nhs-in-bid-to-regain-more-direct-control


I am completely disoriented. The Tories are more lefty than Labour!

As far as I am concerned, this is a ploy to enable the NHS to be more easily privatised. Elements have been and various Tory politicians have a history of calling for radical privatisation. With the great effort the NHS has put into care during the pandemic, it makes it more difficult to sell the idea of privatisation to the public, but they are busy slicing the salami behind the scenes.

I have had the experience of a private medicine operation then being sorted out in the NHS. I really value the service and look on in horror at the stories I read and hear of about medicine in the USA.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

Irons

Quote from: knight66 on July 17, 2020, 11:24:21 PM
As far as I am concerned, this is a ploy to enable the NHS to be more easily privatised. Elements have been and various Tory politicians have a history of calling for radical privatisation. With the great effort the NHS has put into care during the pandemic, it makes it more difficult to sell the idea of privatisation to the public, but they are busy slicing the salami behind the scenes.

I have had the experience of a private medicine operation then being sorted out in the NHS. I really value the service and look on in horror at the stories I read and hear of about medicine in the USA.

Mike

That ship has long since sailed and I can't understand why the left keep banging on about it! It is as not if there isn't enough  genuine and current cock-ups from the Tories which any half-competent opposition could not have a field day with. Tories, God knows how, dismantled the "red wall" and then sells off the NHS? Absolutely no chance.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Mandryka

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Irons

You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Papy Oli

It is.

Here is the source: https://twitter.com/Coldwar_Steve

Dark and devastating photo-montages on the current political climate.
Olivier

vandermolen

Johnson, of course, is nowhere to be seen during the current A Level Results Fiasco. And it is a big fiasco.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

steve ridgway

Quote from: vandermolen on August 13, 2020, 07:00:59 AM
Johnson, of course, is nowhere to be seen during the current A Level Results Fiasco. And it is a big fiasco.

Yes, awful for all those students feeling politicians have ruined their lives. Although they'll be prepared for the corporate "performance review" and "pay award" system later in life :'(.

vandermolen

Quote from: steve ridgway on August 13, 2020, 08:50:19 AM
Yes, awful for all those students feeling politicians have ruined their lives. Although they'll be prepared for the corporate "performance review" and "pay award" system later in life :'(.
Had they simply accepted the teacher's predictions there would have been none of this omnishambles. Ok, there would have been a slight grade inflation, mainly at the lower end, but that is no more than the current cohort of students deserve in view of all the disruption to their education.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Irons

Quote from: vandermolen on August 14, 2020, 01:54:40 PM
Had they simply accepted the teacher's predictions there would have been none of this omnishambles. Ok, there would have been a slight grade inflation, mainly at the lower end, but that is no more than the current cohort of students deserve in view of all the disruption to their education.

All our lives have been disrupted, Jeffrey. My son, with two kids and a mortgage may lose his job at the end of this month. A young lady interviewed on BBC last week was saying through tears her life was ruined as her grades were not sufficient for entry in university. No it's not! Disappointment and failure, deserved or not, make us stronger. I should know! 8)   
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

vandermolen

Quote from: Irons on August 20, 2020, 07:37:45 AM
All our lives have been disrupted, Jeffrey. My son, with two kids and a mortgage may lose his job at the end of this month. A young lady interviewed on BBC last week was saying through tears her life was ruined as her grades were not sufficient for entry in university. No it's not! Disappointment and failure, deserved or not, make us stronger. I should know! 8)   
Very wise point Lol. In fact the student whose 'life was ruined' because she did not have good enough grades for veterinary college should now have perked up as the govt finally agreed to use the teacher predictions as a guide to the final grade, as they clearly should have done in the first place. Sorry to hear about your son Lol and I hope that he does not lose his job. My Churchill quote below expresses my view on failure and disappointment. Another one I like is from the Buddhist tradition:
'There is praise and blame, loss and gain, pleasure and pain, fame and disrepute. Did you think this would not happen to you?'
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Irons

Quote from: vandermolen on August 20, 2020, 12:17:07 PM
Very wise point Lol. In fact the student whose 'life was ruined' because she did not have good enough grades for veterinary college should now have perked up as the govt finally agreed to use the teacher predictions as a guide to the final grade, as they clearly should have done in the first place. Sorry to hear about your son Lol and I hope that he does not lose his job. My Churchill quote below expresses my view on failure and disappointment. Another one I like is from the Buddhist tradition:
'There is praise and blame, loss and gain, pleasure and pain, fame and disrepute. Did you think this would not happen to you?'

That is perfect, Jeffrey. A visit in the summer to the small green area in front of Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton brings that line of Buddhist wisdom in sharp relief.

A late friend worked for the MOD and I recall him telling me that Gavin Williamson, then Minister for Defence, is absolutely useless. May soon turfed him out and I was shocked when Johnson brought him back. Intentions were correct, but as you know far better then me the algorithm had a fatal flaw. Williamson was warned of this which he chose to ignore but then Scotland happened and he still did nothing! He has to go.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Papy Oli

Former chief whip displays whip and little book on desk this week during A Levels interview to remind MP's of his former position and what he may or may not know about said MP's that may be calling for his sacking ? Maybe ? Just maybe...  ;D

Olivier

Mandryka

#417
Our leader




Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Papy Oli

Olivier

Mandryka

Onslow Bouquet has about as much charisma

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen