Solving the NHS dilemma

                                          SOLVING THE NHS DILEMMA

In her book ‘The Life Project (2016)’ page 393 Helen Pearson writes

     ‘Quite how the NHS is going to cope with the enormous expense of an

     ageing the population is the topic of regular talks and hand-wringing at a  

     very high level of the health service but no one seems to have come

     up with any clear solutions to the problem’

This question remains unanswered as Minister after Minster repeats the mantra free at the point of need.

The reality is that in time unless something is done, the NHS will bankrupt the country as more and more other vital services will be sacrificed on its altar.

BUT there is a solution, one which the government has been reluctant to grasp,

that is:

       PAYMENT/or INSURANCE FOR CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS.

This is not so revolutionary as the public has already accepted payment for prescriptions and dental care as the dike has been breached.

What is needed is an agreed Parliamentary statement outlining the principals underlying payment for National Health services as follows:

1 A condition which is wholly caused by the individual’s life choice but not life threatening. E.g. sport

2 A treatment which is chosen for cosmetic reasons.

3.A condition that is directly caused by lifestyle choices.

4. Patients over 75 with secure incomes.

 Applicable if the individual is a wage earner or supported by a wage earner. Earning > £20,000 a year

IT IS NOT TOO LATE

The UK is currently negotiating an agreement to leave the EU some seventy years after peace was declared in Europe; after a war the horror of which most present-day UK citizens never knew or have completely forgotten.

As the spirit of nationalism walks the streets and cities of the UK, it is not too late to remind the people that the two world wars were fought because of Nationalism.

In WW2, Germany under Hitler set out to subjugate the countries of Europe and at its height occupied Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Yugoslavia.

Following the peace treaty, the efforts of the peacemakers established the League of Nations and later the United Nations aiming to produce a system of arbitration to defuse potential wars. 

Albert Schweitzer in his 1954 Nobel Peace prize lecture said:

Even today, we live in an age characterized by the absence of peace; even today, nations can feel themselves threatened by other nations; even today, we must concede to each nation the right to stand ready to defend itself with the terrible weapons now at its disposal

Nationalism of the worst sort was displayed in the last two wars, and it may be regarded today as the greatest obstacle to mutual understanding between peoples

Yet we in Brexit are planning to cut our ties with the organization of the EU that arguably has been the instrument of peace in Europe for over 50 years.

But it is not too late to jettison the whole EU enterprise and return to the path of cooperation and mutual support.  Say No! to Brexit

                                                   

Andy Murray Cries

Andy Murray cries: 

            The sight of Andy Murray crying recently when describing his hip problem and his decision to retire appalled this observer. This young man has had the privilege of being one of the world’s greatest tennis players. Sure he has worked hard but so have thousands of others who have not been successful. Now at the age of 31 he is having to retire for medical reasons. How sad the pundits say as they watch his tears roll down his cheeks and share his plight.

            How sad? - not at all- how wonderful that he has been blessed with such a career, so fortunate to be born into a family who supported and encouraged his natural skill until he reached the pinnacle of Tennis- No 1 in the world, an Olympic Gold, winning Wimbledon and many others including accumulating enormous wealth.

            Have we lost our way, are we now immune to the plight of others so that we are sympathetic with a Giant of the sport who cries when he has to retire?