UK Tory 'pressure group' calling for a 'two tier' NHS

A report in today's i newspaper states The Conservative Friends of NHS' (headed by health minister Maria Caulfield) wants private wings on all NHS hospitals; all high taxpayers to be automatically enrolled in private healthcare schemes; all high taxpayers should be enrolled on the scheme by 2025.

Other members of this body (CFONHS) include Rishi Sunak; Jeremy Hunt; Oliver Dowden and Victoria Atkins and James Cleverly.

They're 'championing private healthcare for those able to afford it because if we don't organise it an overseas foreign company will bid to do the same in the near future' said Cleverly.

In a tweet on X the group said
"Using the free NHS by the rich is unfair to the poor.
All high earners must have private insurance by 2025 and the HMRC should consider private healthcare as a legitimate tax deductable expense'

The Conservative Party has distanced itself from this idea officially saying
The Conservative Party officially rules out these idea and rejects them from becoming party policy.

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SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

These are no friends of the NHS. Private healthcare providers in the UK are not sufficiently developed to do more complex surgery and procedures. The NHS already subsidises the private sector with consultants and facilities. Compulsory private insurance slices up the same cake and means that people pay to get to the front of the queue.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

This is actually not so different to how the Australian system works, but with two notable exceptions. First, there are commercially run Private hospitals a patient can opt to go into, as well as wings inside major Hospitals. Second, the public have the option of purchasing "Private health insurance" to cover extra costs. If one is above a certain income level and you choose NOT to buy this, you pay a small surcharge on your tax. If you do buy insurance, the premium is a tax deduction. The major advantage in service is there is no queue for non urgent work, such as Hip or kneww replacemements or cataract surgery, which have waiting lists in the public system, but are free of charge if you wait..😷

SW-User

Why would this policy be seen as controversial? Your tax funded or "free" health care system has to reduce the number of people it provides care to and adapt to your country now. There are tens of millions more living in the UK than when it was first introduced, and many of them are living to an older age. NHS should charge those who earn a high income and introduce private emergency care, therefore creating more availability for the poor.

Labour and its supporters seem so ideological on this matter.

Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M

@SW-User imagine you're a Surgeon.
Imagine you're employed by the NHS under contract either for x amount of hours or x number of ops a year.
If you have any choice in the matter do you think your time will be spent equally or will your employer insist you only work on private patients in the same hospital you work in ?

SW-User

@Picklebobble2 NHS would still be receiving most of its funds from the government, with the only change being those who are more wealthy paying for its services. This means both the government and patients who pay will be supporting it and covering the same costs. The clinical manager tells you what they expect with regard to hours or number of surgeries if you are a surgeon. They would stipulate the number of surgeries the surgeon must perform on patients who are not paying for their treatment. Many would be receiving free or tax funded care due to having low or lower income.

Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M

@SW-User Why do you assume the NHS would be receiving most of the funds ?

kutee · T

there are already private wing son nhs hospitals, thats where oyu go when you have bupa,but there sno private emergency in uk,

Mellowgirl · 31-35, F

Hmmm
Might free up money to the poor but then will the service still be same.
Look at dentistry.
Get them out!

kutee · T

tories are going to lose very badly, they willbe in the wilderness for decades

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@kutee You may be correct. However, the nature of the global economy right now points to slow or negative groth all round. So its going to be difficult for any government to do much to really improve the lot of those who need it most. Thats not just in Britain.😷

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