The next time some liberal fool tries to convince you that a “single-payer” healthcare system is the bee’s knees and holds up Britain’s NHS as an example of “free” medical care, feel free to point him to this little snippet:
The NHS is struggling with its worst winter ever as A&E waiting times hit their highest on record, damning figures released today reveal.
New data from NHS England shows the health service is operating at a poorer level than at the same point in 2016, which was branded a ‘humanitarian crisis’ and saw the British Red Cross drafted in to help.
The alarming statistics, collected from between New Year’s Day and January 7, show:
- One in five patients at major casualty units waited longer than four hours – the safe limit set by the Government – to be seen in December
- The statistics showed that for all A&E units, 85.1 per cent of patients were seen within the four-hour period – equaling last January’s record low.
- More than 300,000 patients were forced to wait for at least four hours in all A&E units – the highest amount since figures began in 2010.
- Ambulance delays have also risen to record proportions, with more than 5,000 patients left stuck in the back of the vehicles waiting to be transferred to A&E.
- While bed occupancy levels have hit their worst point yet this winter, with 24 trusts declaring they had no free beds at some point last week, the figures show.
With government, when there is over-demand there will always be under-supply, and rationing.
Not to mention the higher taxes you pay for the privilege of that wonderful service.
I’d rather keep the money and engage the services of an African Witch Doctor.
Gold standard? More like the Fool’s Gold standard.
Though there is a nasty part of me that wants socialized medicine…so we can provide involuntary suicide assistance to Liberals.
Because I have absolutely no doubt they’ll kill us the instant we can no longer pay taxes to prop up their fantasy. The endgame of the Welfare State is the Euthanasia State.
If people want government run healthcare, I tell them that they’ll get the efficiency of the Department of Motor vehicles with the courtesy and helpfulness of the IRS.
Yeah, that’s got no effect on people who love their socialized medicine. I know, I’ve tried it.
Alternate version: So, you have stomach problems, so you go to see a specialist. She says you have a bum gallbladder and that it should be removed. What’s the likelihood that your doctor will say “can you come back this afternoon?” Some dipstick told me I was lying when I said that exact scenario happened to my wife.
Or just ask how fast they can get an MRI (or CT or PET scan) on a non-emergency basis. Here in the US you can probably get one the next day, like I did this summer. Why? To guide the needle so I could get a cortisone shot in my hip. Meanwhile, Canadian friends tell me Canadians come to the US and pay cash to get an MRI without a six month wait.
Sorry, Kim, but you’ve fallen victim to poor quality reporting. The Daily Mail is not the most reliable of sources, and tends to sensationalism. Try the Telegraph instead. Yes, the UK is having a flu epidemic, just like many other places. Yes, people are getting triaged. And yes, some people are having to wait a whole 4 hours. But the UK has a thriving private healthcare industry on top of the NHS. So those who have insurance can go private, just like in America. Look up BUPA, PPP, and Western Provident Association, to name but three.
Given how many people say “but muh NHS!” at any criticism of it, you’d hopefully understand why we Muricans might seem surprised by that.