NHS is very good value

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

says it all really

https://theconversation.com/infographic-how-uk-health-spending-compares-to-other-countries-31184

[teamsaint]

says it all really

https://theconversation.com/infograp...ountries-31184

A pity that this doesn't include admin costs. In the UK the base level of admin costs, pre internal Market , was about 5%. its now headed over 15%.

http://www.sochealth.co.uk/2013/01/16/cost-of-the-market-to-the-nhs/

Also a pity that there is no comparison with costs in other systems, which all seem to suggest that market solutions add massively to admin costs. (or one might suggest are specifically designed to do this).

http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/33/9/1586.abstract

Great link though, Jazzer.

[Serial_Apologist]

What still pisses me off - though admittedly this is anecdote-based - is the amounts drug companies charge the NHS for their products, when everybody knows that buying in bulk should reduce costs proportionately. Gross profiteering imv.

BTW you should be able to get your flu jab at a local chemist, assuming you have one - I had only to wait 2 minutes at mine, thus saving time and pressure on the local surgery. I had thought the checkout lady to be joking, but Sainsbury's really were advertising their own service over the tannoy this morning.

<yikes>

[ahinton]

What still pisses me off - though admittedly this is anecdote-based - is the amounts drug companies charge the NHS for their products, when everybody knows that buying in bulk should reduce costs proportionately. Gross profiteering imv.

It should indeed, in principle, but do you believe that those pharma firms that do so charge NHS more than they charge other large healthcare organistions the world over to whom they market and sell their wares?

BTW you should be able to get your flu jab at a local chemist, assuming you have one - I had only to wait 2 minutes at mine, thus saving time and pressure on the local surgery. I had thought the checkout lady to be joking, but Sainsbury's really were advertising their own service over the tannoy this morning.<yikes>

Well, if you have a private GP service like I do, you don't have to go to the supermarket for this service. By "private" in this context, I mean - as I've had cause to mention previously - an NHS GP practice that maintains such high standards of healthcare and administative efficiency (as well as an equally efficient in-house pharmacy) that you'd struggle to find one in the private sector that could even come close; private healthcare funded by the taxpayer - using it when necessary's a no-brainer!

[Serial_Apologist]

It should indeed, in principle, but do you believe that those pharma firms that do so charge NHS more than they charge other large healthcare organistions the world over to whom they market and sell their wares?

TBH it wouldn't surprise me - but I wouldn't have a clue where to find out.

[P. G. Tipps]

Well, if you have a private GP service like I do, you don't have to go to the supermarket for this service. By "private" in this context, I mean - as I've had cause to mention previously - an NHS GP practice that maintains such high standards of healthcare and administative efficiency (as well as an equally efficient in-house pharmacy) that you'd struggle to find one in the private sector that could even come close; private healthcare funded by the taxpayer - using it when necessary's a no-brainer!

Well all that might seem like a 'no-brainer' to you, ahinton, but I suspect the forum super-intelligentsia (never mind the brainless) might require a little more help in trying to comprehend what you are actually saying here?

[P. G. Tipps]

TBH it wouldn't surprise me - but I wouldn't have a clue where to find out.

I'd be astonished if the NHS doesn't receive a hefty bulk discount from private suppliers for goods including drugs. That is the way suppliers do business to stay in business ...

Here's an interesting article from the Forum Bible which suggests your 'anecdotal' information is false, though admittedly this story is a few years old.

It seems profiteering is not simply confined to the private sector!!

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/feb/17/nhs-drugs-traded-europe-profit

[teamsaint]

I'd be astonished if the NHS doesn't receive a hefty bulk discount from private suppliers for goods including drugs. That is the way suppliers do business to stay in business ...

Here's an interesting article from the Forum Bible which suggests your 'anecdotal' information is false, though admittedly this story is a few years old.

It seems profiteering is not simply confined to the private sector!!

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2...-europe-profit

here is another form of " discounting".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10203748/Drug-companies-accused-of-overcharging-NHS-face-fraud-inquiry.html

incidentally, does relentlessly accusing anybody that doesn't agree with you, of swallowing the contents of the Guardian hook line and sinker amount to trolling?

In any case it is inaccurate and really tedious.

[ahinton]

Well all that might seem like a 'no-brainer' to you, ahinton, but I suspect the forum super-intelligentsia (never mind the brainless) might require a little more help in trying to comprehend what you are actually saying here?

If I were you I'd leave the forum "super-intelligentsia" ro decide for themselves whagt they do and don't comprehend and concern yourself more with what you may or may not comprehend; it's pretty obvious, really - I happen to be fortunate in being signed up to an NHS GP practice that consistently provides a service that's at least as good in every respect as one could possibly hope for in a private practice, hence my reference to private healthcare on the NHS.

[Serial_Apologist]

here is another form of " discounting".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10203748/Drug-companies-accused-of-overcharging-NHS-face-fraud-inquiry.html

incidentally, does relentlessly accusing anybody that doesn't agree with you, of swallowing the contents of the Guardian hook line and sinker amount to trolling?

In any case it is inaccurate and really tedious.

Agreed, TS - and thanks for that Telegraph link.

[P. G. Tipps]

here is another form of " discounting".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10203748/Drug-companies-accused-of-overcharging-NHS-face-fraud-inquiry.html

incidentally, does relentlessly accusing anybody that doesn't agree with you, of swallowing the contents of the Guardian hook line and sinker amount to trolling?

In any case it is inaccurate and really tedious.

Funny, I hadn't noticed any similar whines about the even more constant references to the 'Torygraph' and 'Wail' ...

I didn't and haven't made any such accusations here about Guardian readers, that's something you've just invented along with the sudden mention of 'trolling'.

I'll leave you to debate with those you know won't offend your obviously raw political sensibilties!

[amateur51]

I'd be astonished if the NHS doesn't receive a hefty bulk discount from private suppliers for goods including drugs. That is the way suppliers do business to stay in business ...

Here's an interesting article from the Forum Bible which suggests your 'anecdotal' information is false, though admittedly this story is a few years old.

It seems profiteering is not simply confined to the private sector!!

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2...-europe-profit

The Forum is an admirably secular organisation so no 'Bibles' are required, nor are they wanted thanking you.

[amateur51]

If I were you I'd leave the forum "super-intelligentsia" ro decide for themselves whagt they do and don't comprehend and concern yourself more with what you may or may not comprehend; it's pretty obvious, really - I happen to be fortunate in being signed up to an NHS GP practice that consistently provides a service that's at least as good in every respect as one could possibly hope for in a private practice, hence my reference to private healthcare on the NHS.

That's what I understood you to be saying in your first statement, ahinton.

What our challenged friend found difficult to comprehend is a bit of a puzzle.

[amateur51]

Funny, I hadn't noticed any similar whines about the even more constant references to the 'Torygraph' and 'Wail' ...

I didn't and haven't made any such accusations here about Guardian readers, that's something you've just invented along with the sudden mention of 'trolling'.

I'll leave you to debate with those you know won't offend your obviously raw political sensibilties!

"Naff orf, you old scrote!" (N.S. Fletcher.)

[teamsaint]

Funny, I hadn't noticed any similar whines about the even more constant references to the 'Torygraph' and 'Wail' ...

I didn't and haven't made any such accusations here about Guardian readers, that's something you've just invented along with the sudden mention of 'trolling'.

I'll leave you to debate with those you know won't offend your obviously raw political sensibilties!

You certainly HAVE made accusations about the Guardian and, its readers. ( I don't buy or read the Guardian).

I actually don't notice accusations about people slavishly following the telegraph line on here. Good articles in the telegraph, ( which do happen from time to time) get due credit in my view.

Raw political sensibilities ? that is the funniest thing I have read all year. I would LOVE to see you explain that !! Gave up on "politics" after the Iraq war protests showed what our governments really thought of us.

Anyway, off you go..but before you do go, , thoughts on the telegraph article I linked ?