Private Finance Initiative - Page 2

bullseyebarb · 20-08-2006, 20:21

How do you know what it actually costs in the U.K? The government decides how much it is going to dole out and doctors and hospitals have to try and deliver services as best they can with the amount allotted, regardless of what the reality on the ground may be. People are perfectly happy to shop around, compare prices and quality in every other area of the marketplace - but when it comes to healthcare.....well, for whatever reason, so many think that's a whole different thing. When the consumer is taken out of the mix, there is no competition and things don't work terribly well.

garinda · 20-08-2006, 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by bullseyebarb

How do you know what it actually costs in the U.K? The government decides how much it is going to dole out and doctors and hospitals have to try and deliver services as best they can with the amount allotted, regardless of what the reality on the ground may be. People are perfectly happy to shop around, compare prices and quality in every other area of the marketplace - but when it comes to healthcare.....well, for whatever reason, so many think that's a whole different thing. When the consumer is taken out of the mix, there is no competition and things don't work terribly well.

Would you be happy if education was privatised in the States as well, on the same principle?

We are lucky in this country, dependent on if you can afford it, we have a choice here, and for those, either through choice or circumstance, still have one of the best health care systems in the world.

SPUGGIE J · 21-08-2006, 09:47

Can I see a hint of green coming in to this topic? Dosnt matter how it is financed wether we can or cant pay we still get the best treatment available. There are things in other countries that they are good at eg plastic surgery for the ultimately vain in the USA the Autobahn in Germany Champagne in France food in Italy are a few. It all comes down to personal perseption when looking in from the outside. PFI might not be the best way to get hospitals but it is the route that the Govenment has chosen tp go down and until they are are voted out we are stuck with these enterprises.