NHS safe now? TTIP

StevieJ

The silver lining of the referendum is that the privatisation of the NHS via TTIP is now off the agenda. The new probable neo-liberal Tory govt would never allow that I would love to be a fly on the wall at the UK (-Scotland and NI) USA trade agreement talks,

Campaign groups have hit back at David Cameron’s claim that the NHS is “completely protected” under the terms of a sweeping trade deal currently in negotiation between the US and EU.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ttip-campaigners-hit-back-at-cameron-claims-that-the-nhs-is-protected-under-trade-deal-terms-a7017276.html

gazter

StevieJ wrote: »

The silver lining of the referendum is that the privatisation of the NHS via TTIP is now off the agenda. The new probable neo-liberal Tory govt would never allow that I would love to be a fly on the wall at the UK (-Scotland and NI) USA trade agreement talks,

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ttip-campaigners-hit-back-at-cameron-claims-that-the-nhs-is-protected-under-trade-deal-terms-a7017276.html

If we remain in the single market we will still be bound be trade deals that are negotiated with the single market.

Privatisation of the NHS is the comfort blankie for many on the left. It would seem the NHS has been privatised and nationalised hundreds of times. I'm sure we were told the nhs had already been privatised.

kabayiri

1) We each need to value our own health
2) We need to appreciate the costs in maintaining our own health

I can't see the health service being safe until we achieve 1) and 2) above.

Pricing is a primitive mechanism for controlling our behaviour, but we accept it in almost every other aspect of our lives, so why not health?

zagubov

We don't pay to call out the fire brigade either. Life or death situations are big enough problems without bringing in money worries about whether you can afford to deal with them

mwpt

kabayiri wrote: »

1) We each need to value our own health
2) We need to appreciate the costs in maintaining our own health

I can't see the health service being safe until we achieve 1) and 2) above.

Pricing is a primitive mechanism for controlling our behaviour, but we accept it in almost every other aspect of our lives, so why not health?

I really sympathise with this view but we should deal in practicalities. In practical terms, from a cost view, isn't the NHS a resounding success? Even if we leave aside the moral argument of taking care of as many people as possible, including those less able to take care of themselves (and I can't leave that aside), surely you could break it down to a game theory selfish but good outcome. Having a working NHS means lower disease, lower unrest, lower poverty. All of these things are not pleasant things to have in your country whether you're able or not.

In short, socialising health care seems to work, and work pretty well.