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

[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?

[Sir C]

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?

Mmm, kidneys. Devilled, on toast. Lovely, if a bit pissy.

[SWv2]

Mmm, kidneys. Devilled, on toast. Lovely, if a bit pissy.

Dirty bastárd.

Dear old Twix used to swear by them. Another dirty bástard.

[Sir C]

Dirty bastárd.

Dear old Twix used to swear by them. Another dirty bástard.

Veal kidneys are good done in the French style, but look a bit iffy.

58550023.jpg

[SWv2]

Veal kidneys are good done in the French style, but look a bit iffy.

58550023.jpg

Looks like fried shíte.

[Burney]

Veal kidneys are good done in the French style, but look a bit iffy.

58550023.jpg

Ah, the little ratte potatoes in the background. Easily the best salad potato for my money.

[Ash]

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

You want to fine people now for not eating up their vegetables?

Some of the most health-service intensive people I know actually have quite 'healthy' diets and lifestyles. I smoke, drink somewhat heavily, eat English breakfasts and even some #gasp ready-meals and have been the doctor's once in ten years and about twice in the ten years before that.

So basically **** the food-snob policing of lifestyles. It's just another version of virtue/status signalling imo.

[Peter]

You want to fine people now for not eating up their vegetables?

Some of the most health-service intensive people I know actually have quite 'healthy' diets and lifestyles. I smoke, drink somewhat heavily, eat English breakfasts and even some #gasp ready-meals and have been the doctor's once in ten years and about twice in the ten years before that.

So basically **** the food-snob policing of lifestyles. It's just another version of virtue/status signalling imo.

No. I’m saying you could use the tax system as a deterrent with fast food and very unhealthy stuff in the same way we do with smoking (because that has worked really well )

I don’t think accepted wisdom is that bad diet makes you drop down dead in your 30s or 40s. It’s the problems it can cause in later life. Most of us tend not to worry about that and I’m not convinced that an NHS lecture is going to change our minds.