Interesting way to spin this story, given the fact that the NHS comes second last in

[Burney]

Yeah but too much of that gets into the whole 'preventative' thing, which is a slippery slope. Telling us how much we should be drinking (two pints a week max) and so on.

There is a difference between good, lifelong health education and endless prissy hectoring. This country does a lot of the latter and búgger all of the former.

For instance, a really good use of NHS funds would be to teach people to budget, choose healthy food and cook from an early age. Also, the provision of sporting facilities and equipment would help.

That sort of thinking's a bit too joined-up for our mandarins, though. Much better to spend those billions on wagging your finger at those who are already past saving.

[SWv2]

There is a difference between good, lifelong health education and endless prissy hectoring. This country does a lot of the latter and búgger all of the former.

For instance, a really good use of NHS funds would be to teach people to budget, choose healthy food and cook from an early age. Also, the provision of sporting facilities and equipment would help.

That sort of thinking's a bit too joined-up for our mandarins, though. Much better to spend those billions on wagging your finger at those who are already past saving.

The NHS don't have enough money to even do the health thing before they diversify into areas which could or should be covered off by other authorities such as Sports Councils or whatever.

[Burney]

The NHS don't have enough money to even do the health thing before they diversify into areas which could or should be covered off by other authorities such as Sports Councils or whatever.

But it's exactly that sort of siloed thinking that's the problem, you see? If you take a holistic view of health and the factors that impact upon it, then effective prevention is surely within the remit of a health system?

Besides, the NHS has fùck tonnes of money to spend on shīt like diversity officers, multi-faith chaplains and incredibly inefficient central purchasing practices that mean I can buy paracetamol 20 times cheaper at Tesco than it can be prescribed to me by the NHS.

[SWv2]

But it's exactly that sort of siloed thinking that's the problem, you see? If you take a holistic view of health and the factors that impact upon it, then effective prevention is surely within the remit of a health system?

Besides, the NHS has fùck tonnes of money to spend on shīt like diversity officers, multi-faith chaplains and incredibly inefficient central purchasing practices that mean I can buy paracetamol 20 times cheaper at Tesco than it can be prescribed to me by the NHS.

I would suggest you are then a part of what is a massive problem if you are wasting NHS time and resource with minor illnesses which can be fixed with some Paracetamol.

[Burney]

I would suggest you are then a part of what is a massive problem if you are wasting NHS time and resource with minor illnesses which can be fixed with some Paracetamol.

Not me, sunshine. I haven't seen a doctor in years. I merely use that as an example of the organisation's spendthrift inefficiency.

[SWv2]

Not me, sunshine. I haven't seen a doctor in years. I merely use that as an example of the organisation's spendthrift inefficiency.

Don't sunshine me pal.

I am a fan of your NHS. While I have no doubt the organisation as a whole is pretty much fúcked and the overlords at the top are hugely incompetent the public facing staff in most hospitals are superb and do their best in trying circumstances.

[Sir C]

Don't sunshine me pal.

I am a fan of your NHS. While I have no doubt the organisation as a whole is pretty much fúcked and the overlords at the top are hugely incompetent the public facing staff in most hospitals are superb and do their best in trying circumstances.

The problem with the NHS is that is has nothing to do with health. It is a purely political entity, designed to make socialism appear normal. It is a Trojan horse whose gift is communism.

[Peter]

But it's exactly that sort of siloed thinking that's the problem, you see? If you take a holistic view of health and the factors that impact upon it, then effective prevention is surely within the remit of a health system?

Besides, the NHS has fùck tonnes of money to spend on shīt like diversity officers, multi-faith chaplains and incredibly inefficient central purchasing practices that mean I can buy paracetamol 20 times cheaper at Tesco than it can be prescribed to me by the NHS.

Yet comes out 3rd for efficiency on your list. Go figure. Must be wrong, I suppose.

I don't think it takes NHS money to provide education on diet and facilities for fitness. Those are catered for elsewhere, just not very well. Or at least, with little take up.

Of course, we could take the punitive route. Taxes on high fat food and fast food that subsidises the cost of fruit and vegetables, greater subsidy on local authority gym membership.

People are more likely to avoid a fine/tax than take advantage of a subsidy.

[Burney]

Yet comes out 3rd for efficiency on your list. Go figure. Must be wrong, I suppose.

I don't think it takes NHS money to provide education on diet and facilities for fitness. Those are catered for elsewhere, just not very well. Or at least, with little take up.

Of course, we could take the punitive route. Taxes on high fat food and fast food that subsidises the cost of fruit and vegetables, greater subsidy on local authority gym membership.

People are more likely to avoid a fine/tax than take advantage of a subsidy.

To be honest, I don't really take that survey terribly seriously, since it is clearly designed to laud the most socialised forms of medicine and punish the least (i.e. the US). I just find it amusing that, even in such a survey, the NHS comes bottom in terms of healthcare outcomes.

I would argue that hiving these things off into different, competing departments is exactly the problem, though. Other countries do educate their populace far better in terms of food and exercise and for me, those are health-related matters and should therefore fall under the remit of a true national health service. Otherwise, its 'prevention' strategies can only be reactive.

[Peter]

To be honest, I don't really take that survey terribly seriously, since it is clearly designed to laud the most socialised forms of medicine and punish the least (i.e. the US). I just find it amusing that, even in such a survey, the NHS comes bottom in terms of healthcare outcomes.

I would argue that hiving these things off into different, competing departments is exactly the problem, though. Other countries do educate their populace far better in terms of food and exercise and for me, those are health-related matters and should therefore fall under the remit of a true national health service. Otherwise, its 'prevention' strategies can only be reactive.

Well the survey appears floored if for no other reason than that it ranks the country with the second poorest health outcomes as the best provider.

On the other point, surely the key is that the message gets through, not who it comes from. How do the other countries that do such a wonderful job of this manage it?

And won’t you be the first in the queue to bang on about the NHS spending money on retard cooking classes instead of beds and kidney machines?