US primary care is on verge of collapse, says doctors' body
BMJ 2006; 332 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.332.7537.320-b (Published 09 February 2006) Cite this as: BMJ 2006;332:320
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The NHS as it stands, with what is left of it, has a choice.
The powers that be can either decide to sell the health care of the
British nation to a private company - Or they can decide to learn from the
mistakes of our American allies.
It's all very well leading the way in shaping policies, but one has to
expect that one will make unknown mistakes when stepping into the unknown.
At the end of the day, in Britain, the working class (Not the
underclass) is still alive and well, and in reasonably good spirits.
Privatisation over the last 20 years nearly finished us all off. We have
long memories.
We will not let the private sector literally finish us off.
You have been warned.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
The reason behind the collapse may stem from problems with the
unfettered free market in the US. The enforced free market with a weak
state, thanks to deregulation, privatisation and lower taxation- can
result in the collapse of social cohesion in society. While excessive
state control in damaging, the other extreme involving a limp government
that is in the pocket of private business is just as bad. Just why do we
choose to copy all american policies when social unity is an all time low
there, frankly beggars belief. The NHS could soon go this way if the
privatisation by the back door is allowed to continue.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Primary Care in US can collapse under the burden of huge health costs
that
each and every US citizen has to put up with in order to survive.
A common man in UK doesn't realize how lucky he is to be in UK so far as
regards his health needs.
NHS is a great organisation which offers a huge safety net to one and all
in
UK, and I pity american citizens who have to bear a huge burden to take
care
of their health needs.
The US health system has to be thoroughly reorganized keeping the
interests
of the consumer at heart.
It is a shame that inspite of being the richest country in the world with
a great
infrastructure and large numbers of health professionals living and
working
hard day and night US citizens are under great stress as regards their
health
care.
Doctors and other medical professionals in USA earn enough to lead a
decent
life. It is time to take up health as a social service and not a profit
making
enterprise. The pharmaceutical industry, the legal profession, insurance
companies and others should develop a humanitarian attitude.
The americans can learn from the NHS and other european
countries.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Re: laissez faire
I feel I must live in a different world to these correspondents..
I am a GP working for the NHS under both the old and new GMS
contract. Therefore, as I see it, I have always been a PRIVATE provider
working for a contract to the British NHS. The contract may change, if
either party wishes it.. It was negotiated by the GPC of the BMA, though
not all GPs are BMA members. Tesco can be approached by the NHS to provide
a primary care service, and breach the 'monopoly' somehow ( Out-of-hours
providers are well along this road ). None of this alarms or surprises
me.
What is plain is that in a market ( and everybody IS in a market)
nobody is likely to take on the onus of NHS Primary Care Services, without
the prospect of making a reasonable income at it. There are many private
providers of Primary Care in the UK, who cock a snook at the NHS...
How can the UK's NHS 'sell-off' Primary Care, if it does not own it ?
The NHS nGMS contract looks to me now as a very reasonable, family-
friendly and lucrative prospect ( unlike the day-and-night slavery before
).
Laissez-faire ? Any Less would not be Fair
Competing interests:
I am an NHS GP
Competing interests: No competing interests