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The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags 
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Post The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... s-cough-up

By Charlie Brooker

Who'd want to be Andrew Lansley right about now? He's as popular as Joseph Kony. Wherever he goes people immediately start shouting at him. Old ladies scream the word "codswallop!" in his face as he walks down the street. When he visits a hospital, doctors follow him around bellowing: "Your bill is rubbish." Last week I flipped on the TV just in time to catch footage of his official car speeding away from a bunch of booing protesters, and for a moment I naturally assumed I was watching a news report about a despised killer being whisked away from a court appearance.

If these things were happening to you or me, we'd probably cry, or at least look slightly troubled. Yet no matter how many people are bellowing at him, Lansley perpetually wears the nonchalant expression of a man killing time by humming cheerfully in a lift. Presumably he has now become so accustomed to the sound of loudly heckled abuse, he doesn't even hear it any more. I guess to him it's like a noise made by some weird machine in his workplace, a background soundtrack he tunes out subconsciously. The protesters' plaintive ape wails of despair simply bounce off him like rice grains flicked at a rock. For a man who recently conducted a high-profile "listening exercise", he's got a shitty set of ears.

What is it about Lansley that makes human beings hate him so much? It might have something to do with the suspicion that he's hell-bent on turning the NHS into a commercial free-for-all, which for some reason isn't going down well at a time when terrifying nightly warnings about the worst excesses of capitalism are broadcast in the guise of news bulletins. The theory is that introducing an element of competition will improve the level of quality and range of choice for patients. And it doubtless would, if businesses behaved like selfless nuns, which they don't. Any business that wants to succeed has to cut corners somewhere to turn a profit. It also has to juggle a strange set of priorities, which means if you entrust your health to a corporation, the cost of your kidneys could end up being weighed against the spiralling cost of the CGI budgerigar voiced by Joan Collins they want for their new TV commercial.

Can you think of a single company you'd trust to slice you open and fiddle with the squishy components? Apple, maybe? After all, its products are brilliantly designed – but more importantly for a medical procedure, they're sterile. But consider the length of the cable on your iPhone charger. Annoyingly short, isn't it? Almost as short as the battery life. That's two savings right there that have been passed on to you, the consumer, in the form of minor inconveniences. In medical terms, it's like being left with a slight limp because the surgeon needed to finish at five on the dot. And let's not dwell too much on allegations about the factory where the iPhone is actually made. If these are true, and Foxconn were running the hospital kitchen, everything would taste slightly of tears. You'd be lying in bed, eating food that had been wept in, vainly waiting for that limp to heal while feverishly inserting coins into a slot to stop the bed automatically tipping you on to the floor to make way for the next customer.

I spent a fair bit of time last week visiting someone laid up in hospital. Every bed on the ward had a flat-screen TV beside it – a commercial entertainment system upon which you can watch TV or endure movies such as Captain America or Transformers: Dark of the Moon. There was a constant looping advert for these and other delights, interspersed by the now-notorious talking head shot of Lansley dribbling on about how your health is really important to him. He says he hopes this entertainment system will make your stay more enjoyable. And it will, if you pay for it.

If you pick up the remote and select good old vanilla BBC1, you only get to glimpse a few seconds of BBC1 before it displays a screen telling you to cough up. If the company responsible for the system genuinely wanted to make everyone's stay more comfortable, they'd let you have the BBC for nothing. Chances are you pay your licence fee. They could give you the Beeb and then charge extra for the movie channels. Seems reasonable. But no. Cough up, fleshbag.

On the back of the screen is a sticker telling you to switch your mobile phone off. But fear not: the screen has a phone attached to it, which your distressed relatives can use to get in touch with you. It's a premium rate number. So cough up again, fleshbag.

The screens are switched on by default, so I assume, incidentally, that the company responsible covers the cost of all that electricity. Otherwise, you're indirectly coughing up for it already, fleshbag.

Lansley claims he's not out to privatise the NHS of course, but no one believes him, partly because all the talk about clinical commissioning groups is impenetrable jargon, but mainly because the nation's doctors start running around setting off klaxons and screaming whenever he appears. As a general rule of thumb, when a doctor starts yelping with alarm, I worry. So would anyone. The government expects us to ignore medical advice. After all, that's what they're doing. Because they're deluded.


Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:06 pm
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Post Re: The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags
Let's help save the NHS.

Marxists referred to the NHS as a small victory for the working class. Let's hang on it it. Built on the premise of "for the need of all" by some well meaning founders way back when.

38 Degrees are conducting a poll and compiling thoughts of how to challenge this proposed reform.

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/ ... ve-our-nhs


Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:10 pm
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Post Re: The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags
Privatizing human services is a Tyrants fantasy. It goes back to that double think in trusting corporations to do the right thing. And more to that, its the option to have medical services compartmentalized to be individually catered to a Dictatorship.
Money = compassion?

To boot, the state provided service was set up to fail from the Federal govt here in the US. So accepting corporatism would be that much easier.
This is going on in all levels.
Its much like demolitioning a building and blaming it on a plane. Or pinning the tail on the patsy...

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Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:47 pm
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Post Re: The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags
How DARE they!

When I think of all the generations of hard working people who have paid their taxes their whole lives for a system were their needs could be met and something so fundamental to British consciousness as the NHS just to be drained away by vultures sickens me to the core.

Privatisation will improve the NHS due to competition, according to that snidey toffy nosed elitist, Cameron (who I had the displeasure of bumping into in St Pancras train station, I looked straight into his eyes - desparately thinking of something I could heckle at him but I get sucked into a void of pure cold deadness) When did privatisation ever work?

Royal Mail - stamps are now 60p and you rarely get post everyday, usually once a week in a bundle that they have saved up until Saturday;

Trains - 55 minute journey London return, peak time £94!!!

When will people say enough is enough?? How far will the government be able to go at privatising everything whilst we stupidly carry on paying taxes? Are they trying to incite social unrest and violence?


Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:57 pm
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Post Re: The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags
Quote:
Its much like demolitioning a building and blaming it on a plane


Great analogy. I'm going to get that phrase circulating...bring it into people's consciousness.

Yes, the system in USA sounds awful. Brits don't realise how lucky they are to have the NHS, even though GP's are a waste of space, A&E docs, nurses etc really should be treasured.

All politics is complete double speak.

From the inside 'they' have tried to erode the NHS. With more jobs for managerial staff and consultants that cost a fortune than actual doctors and nurses. Women getting boobs jobs for free if they sob long enough at a hapless GP, yeah right, don't send them for counselling, oh no, sanctify their (s)madness and cut them up. I've noticed a lot of nutrition programs on TV lately - woven into these is the premise that obsese people shouldn't be treated by the NHS and that they should pay.

Where is the onus on food manufacturers?
Where is the social comment on how the NHS should not be defined by popular cultural notions - such as body image; the fascism here is unbelievable.


Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:15 pm
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I think of all the generations of hard working people who have paid their taxes

Its atrocious, WTF happened to our workers movement of the early 20th century? They would be turning in their graves if they could see the Fascist Streamline of corporatism.
Quote:
When did privatisation ever work?

For the Military Complex...
Quote:
Are they trying to incite social unrest and violence?

Yes I think they are. Its a win win situation for them. Revolt and more security and regulations. Dont revolt, more security and regulations.
The analogy for me is a funnel and we are at the point going down the drain.
Quote:
premise that obsese people shouldn't be treated

They poison us to be fat then blame people for being fat and use it as fuel to strengthen totalitarianism in medical and psychological issues. They create talking points, cultivate them and insidious marinate them into social consciousness. There so sophisticated, so scientific, they can even show their Machinations to the public in guise of fantasy to veer people of their trail.

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Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:27 pm
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Post Re: The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags
If we could all create sustainable little communities locally we could begin to opt out of the system more and more, a silent but strong pacifist stand, as social unrest and violence is not the answer - besides it would be like swatting flies for them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6180991.stm

Quote:
Obesity 'could bankrupt the NHS'

One in five adults in the UK is obese

The rising levels of obesity could bankrupt the NHS if left unchecked, a British Medical Journal report warns.
Experts, including government A&E tsar George Alberti and Glasgow University professor Naveed Sattar, said obesity treatment took up 9% of the NHS budget.

But they warned this would rise as the number of obese adults rose from one in five to one in three by 2010.

They said action was needed by all of society and even recommended a helpline for people who bought larger clothes.


What a farce! NHS was envisaged to be for the need of ALL not the want of a few.


Last edited by nongeneration on Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.



Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:20 pm
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When sickness is big business, you'll see maximum sickness.

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Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:20 pm
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Post Re: The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags
Yep Chico, as evidenced by our methylation thread.

Pseudo diseases - the medicalisation of normal human behaviour. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) = naughty kid with probable allergy to preservatives and E numbers (healthy, organic food = very expensive; over worked single parent buys cheap convenience food, prepackaged and pre poisoned.


Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:25 pm
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Post Re: The future of the NHS? Cough up, fleshbags
Hi nongeneration,

When I was in the UK in December I took the Megabus from Sheffield to London for a handsome price of 1 pound!

Going back was more expensive, 3 pounds!

It pays to plan a journey in advance.

Best regards.



How DARE they!

When I think of all the generations of hard working people who have paid their taxes their whole lives for a system were their needs could be met and something so fundamental to British consciousness as the NHS just to be drained away by vultures sickens me to the core.

Privatisation will improve the NHS due to competition, according to that snidey toffy nosed elitist, Cameron (who I had the displeasure of bumping into in St Pancras train station, I looked straight into his eyes - desparately thinking of something I could heckle at him but I get sucked into a void of pure cold deadness) When did privatisation ever work?

Royal Mail - stamps are now 60p and you rarely get post everyday, usually once a week in a bundle that they have saved up until Saturday;

Trains - 55 minute journey London return, peak time £94!!!

When will people say enough is enough?? How far will the government be able to go at privatising everything whilst we stupidly carry on paying taxes? Are they trying to incite social unrest and violence?


Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:49 pm
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